Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, October 26, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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nipper
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using the Active VoiceYou should always use the active voice if an agent is identifiable or contains information that is relevant to the rest of the sentence. On the other hand, when an agent is unknown or irrelevant, we usually switch to the passive voice and do what to the agent? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 GerrymanderingGerrymandering is the political practice of drawing electoral district lines in a way that gives an unfair advantage to a particular political party. Numerous countries have enacted reforms against gerrymandering, but in the US such reforms have met with opposition from groups that benefit from the practice. The term "gerrymander" was inspired by an 1812 Massachusetts redistricting scheme that favored the party of Governor Elbridge Gerry. Where did the "mander" part of the word come from? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Erie Canal Opens (1825)The Erie Canal is a New York waterway that runs between Albany and Buffalo, linking the Hudson River with Lake Erie. It was born out of the need for an all-American water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast that became evident after the American Revolution. The canal contributed greatly to the development of New York City and the Midwest, allowing for the transport of people and supplies. Commercial traffic on the canal has since dwindled, and it is now used mainly for what purpose? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 François Mitterrand (1916)Initially a supporter of the Vichy government during World War II, Mitterrand joined the Resistance in 1943. After the war, he held cabinet posts in 11 Fourth Republic governments. He ran unsuccessfully against Charles de Gaulle's government in 1965 but was elected president in 1981 and 1988, after which he strongly promoted European integration. Mitterrand retired in 1995, having served longer than any other French president. Who succeeded him as president of France? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is well known to all experienced minds that our firmest convictions are often dependent on subtle impressions for which words are quite too coarse a medium.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(the) elephant in the room— An obvious truth or fact, especially one regarded as embarrassing or undesirable, that is being intentionally ignored or left unaddressed. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Angam Day (2018)Nauru is an island in the Pacific, about 2,200 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia, and 2,400 miles southwest of Honolulu. Over the past 100 years, the existence of Nauruans has been threatened a number of times—by tribal disputes in the 1870s, and by an influenza epidemic in 1919. During World War II, two-thirds were deported by the Japanese to the Caroline Islands to build airstrips. Angam Day (angam means "hope") on October 26 commemorates the various occasions when the Nauruan population has reached 1,500, considered the minimum number necessary for survival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: sininequity, iniquity - Inequity is "injustice, unfairness"; iniquity refers to "immorality, sin, wickedness." More... remission, remit - Remission originally meant forgiveness or pardon for an offense or sin, and remit meant "forgive, pardon." More... reprehensible - Usually applied to things, not people—the sin and not the sinner. More... | |