Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, January 6, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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incendiary
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Absolute PhrasesAn absolute phrase (also known as an absolute construction) is a grammatically independent group of words that serves to modify an entire sentence. Because an absolute phrase is not an integral part of the sentence, how is it always set apart? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Shetland PonyAlthough the Shetland is one of the smallest breeds of horse, measuring no more than 46 inches (117 cm) high, it is extremely hardy and needs little care, having adapted to the harsh climate and scarcity of food in Scotland's Shetland Islands. Shetland ponies were thus used as pack horses and worked in England's coal mines in the 19th century. These diminutive horses are also known for their gentle disposition and are a favorite mount for children. Shetland ponies can live to be how old? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Samuel Morse Successfully Tests the Electrical Telegraph (1838)In 1832, Morse, an American painter-turned-inventor, began working on a system for transmitting messages as electrical pulses across a wire. Five years later, he was granted a patent for his electromagnetic telegraph, and he successfully tested the device a year after that. Public use of Morse's telegraph system, as well as the code he developed to represent letters and numbers as electrical pulses, began in 1844 and lasted over 100 years. What was the first message sent on the public system? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Richard II of England (1367)Richard II was perhaps the most enigmatic of the English kings, reigning from 1377 to 1399. He inherited the throne as a boy, but his uncle John of Gaunt and other nobles dominated the government, limiting his power. Taking revenge, he banished John's son, Henry, and confiscated his vast Lancastrian estates. Not long after, while Richard was away on an expedition, Henry returned and seized power. Forced to abdicate, Richard was imprisoned and died in captivity. What likely caused his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is better not to live at all than to live disgraced.Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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good job— An informal expression of praise for having done something well. (It can also be used sarcastically to mean the opposite.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Carnival in Hungary (Farsang) (2020)This is the time of year when most weddings are celebrated in Hungary, and when dances, parties, and festivities are held. In southern Hungary, masks known as busó that are passed down from one generation to the next are worn during Mardi Gras. They are made out of carved wood painted with ox blood, with animal skins covering the top and ram's horns emerging from either side. Young men wear them, shaking huge wooden rattles, shooting off cannons, and teasing women with long sticks topped by sheepskin gourds. The Busó parade in Mohács is said to be the biggest carnival event in Hungary. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: wanderingevagation - Means mental wandering or digression, also a digression in speech or writing. More... mundivagant - Means "wandering around the world." More... vagation - The action of wandering, straying, or departing from the proper or regular course. More... wanderjahr - Literally German for "wander year," it refers to a year of wandering or travel. More... | |