Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, January 4, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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hypnopedia
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Structures of Declarative SentencesA declarative sentence makes a statement or argument about what is, was, or will be the case. Which of the four of types of sentence structures—simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences—can be made into declarative sentences? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Inca Road SystemOne of the most remarkable examples of Inca engineering was their elaborate network of roads, parts of which survive today. Log, stone, pontoon, and suspension bridges were built to span streams, rivers, and chasms, and shelters and storehouses were spaced a day's travel apart. These were maintained by nearby villages, which also supplied messengers for their sectors. Messages or parcels could thus be carried throughout the empire quite quickly, with runners able to cover what distance in a day? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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.jpg) Founding of the Fabian Society (1884)The Fabian Society was formed in 1884 with the goal of establishing a democratic socialist state in Britain. The society's name derived from Roman commander and statesman Fabius Maximus Cunctator, whose military tactics led to victory over stronger forces. Important early members of the Fabian Society included playwright George Bernard Shaw and sociologist Sidney Webb. In 1906, the group helped organize a separate party that became the Labour Party. Why is the Fabian Society's symbol a tortoise? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Bond (1900)An expert in Caribbean birds and a distinguished ornithologist at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Bond wrote the definitive Birds of the West Indies in 1936. The book came to the attention of avid bird-watcher Ian Fleming, who lived in Jamaica. He contacted Bond and asked if he could use the ornithologist's name for the hero of his first novel, Casino Royale. Bond agreed. In what film can the fictional Bond be seen reading the real-life Bond's book? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Where words fail, music speaks.Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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not your father's— Very modern or updated; no longer what an older generation would expect or be used to. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Carnival of Blacks and Whites (2022)The Carnival of Blacks and Whites, held each year in Pasto, Colombia, is one of the oldest Carnival celebrations in South America. The Carnival officially opens on January 4 with a parade commemorating the arrival in Pasto of the Castañeda family, who are presented as a zany group overburdened with luggage, mattresses, and cooking equipment. The following day is the Day of the Blacks. Using special paints and cosmetics, revelers paint themselves and their friends black. Festivities continue on January 6 with the Day of the Whites, in which white paints and cosmetics are used. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: needlegab - In mechanics, a hook or a notch in a rod or lever that then engages with a pin or needle. More... in the groove - An allusion to the reproduction of music by a needle on a gramophone record. More... needle - Has the same Indo-European base as Latin nere, "to spin," and Greek nema, "thread." More... feed dog - The part of a sewing machine that feeds the material under the needle. More... | |