Today's Highlights
| Word of the Day | |||||||
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snuggery
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Intransitive Verbs in the "Middle" VoiceWhile the majority of reflexive verbs are transitive, with reflexive pronouns as their objects, certain intransitive verbs can be used to modify a subject (usually an inanimate object) that is also the receiver of the action. What happens to intransitive verbs in the middle voice? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Brandenburg GateThe Brandenburg Gate is the last surviving town gate of Berlin, Germany. When completed in 1791, the lavish gate greeted visitors to the boulevard that led directly to the Prussian palace. Architect Carl G. Langhans modeled the gate after the Propylea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. On top was the "Quadriga of Victory," a statue of a chariot drawn by four horses. Heavily damaged in World War II, the gate was restored in 1957. Why was it closed in 1961, and when did it reopen? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Boris Yeltsin Orders Tanks to Storm Russian Parliament (1993)As president of an independent Russia, Boris Yeltsin sought to end state control of the economy but clashed with parliament, which was controlled by former Communists. When Yeltsin suspended the parliament, it retaliated by naming Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi as acting president, and anti-Yeltsin forces barricaded themselves inside the parliament building. The military interceded on Yeltsin's side and, after a bloody battle, troops recaptured the parliament building. What was the death toll? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Buster Keaton (1895)Though his career had its ups and downs, Keaton is recognized today as one of silent cinema's greatest actors and filmmakers. He is remembered as much for his acrobatic skill as for his trademark deadpan expression, both of which he developed performing in vaudeville as a child and honed over the course of his decades-long career on the silver screen, starring in such classics as The General and Steamboat Bill, Jr. How did Joseph Frank Keaton come to be known as Buster? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Universities incline wits to sophistry and affectation.Francis Bacon (1561-1626) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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close as the bark to the tree— As connected as is possible. Often used to describe a particularly intimate relationship or friendship. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Fiesta of San Francisco (San Pacho) (2022)In Quibdó, Colombia, the Fiesta of San Francisco is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. The procession on October 4 is the highlight of the festival, but several days of sports—including boxing, horse racing, cycling, and pig-catching contests—precede this. The streets are filled with people dressed up as devils, savages, and various animals, and there are dancing and fireworks every night. On the final day, there is an afternoon procession, in which everyone accompanies the statue of St. Francis as it is carried through the streets of Quibdó. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: prosperityland of milk and honey - In the Bible, a land of prosperity and plenty promised by God to the Israelites. More... pumpkin time - The end of prosperity and a return to normal. More... thrift - First meant "acquired wealth, prosperity, success." More... welfare - Originally the phrase wel fare—first meaning "happiness" or "prosperity." More... | |
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| Mismatch | |
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