Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, January 10, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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plenitude
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Identifying Auxiliary VerbsAuxiliary verbs are verbs that add functional meaning to other "main" verbs in a clause. Auxiliary verbs can be identified by two main criteria. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Sharpeville MassacreOn March 21, 1960, a group of 5,000 to 7,000 people converged on a police station in Sharpeville, South Africa, to protest the so-called "pass laws" that were being used by the apartheid-supporting government to enforce greater segregation. When the protesters refused to disperse, police fired on the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring more than 180. The massacre sparked nationwide outrage and international condemnation. Why is the incident seen as a turning point in South Africa's history? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 London Underground Begins Operation (1863)The world's first subway line opened in London in 1863. It was 3.75 mi (6 km) long and soon carried tens of thousands of passengers each day—transporting 9.5 million in its first year. Initially steam-powered, the system first electrified some of its lines in 1890. By 1896, it was fully electrified. Today, the London Underground system is one of the largest in the world, with 256 mi (410 km) of track and 270 stations. What is the record for visiting them all in the shortest amount of time? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835)Japanese author, educator, and publisher Fukuzawa Yukichi grew up during a tumultuous time in Japan, as Western powers began infiltrating the country and the Japanese people's hostility toward the ruling shogunate grew. Fukuzawa—who was intrigued by the West—traveled to the US on a diplomatic mission in 1860 and afterward became involved in Japan's Meiji Restoration, which restored the emperor to power and rapidly modernized the country. What is considered Fukuzawa's most important contribution? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I have seen gross intolerance shown in support of toleration.Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be on (the) air— To be broadcasting live, as on television or radio. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Benin National Vodoun Day (2022)Vodoun is an ancient, African, pantheistic religion. When it was brought to the Americas by African slaves, it was blended with elements of Christianity into what is known as "Voodoo." The present African country of Benin, situated on the former kingdom of Dahomey, is known as a center of Vodoun culture. The day is celebrated throughout Benin with processions, Vodoun rituals, dances, and even an international film festival. The celebration's central activity, however, is the re-enactment of the journey from the slave auction block in the center of town to the ships in the harbor. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: musical instrumentpiano word - One in which all of its letters can be played as notes on a musical instrument (e.g. cabbage). More... cord, chord - Cord comes from Greek khorde, "gut, string of a musical instrument," and chord is a refashioning of cord. More... sweet potato - An informal name for the ocarina, a musical instrument. More... tone color - The same as timbre, the quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or musical instrument from another. More... | |