Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, January 8, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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connive
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Auxiliary Verbs - WouldThe modal auxiliary verb "would" has a variety of functions and uses, including replacing "will" for things that happened or began in the past, or describing hypothetical situations. What type of mood is used to express hypotheticals and desires? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Tunneling ShieldsTunneling shields are used in the excavation of tunnels through soft ground, especially under rivers or in water-bearing strata, to prevent the tunnels from collapsing before they are reinforced with concrete, cast iron, or steel support structures. The Thames Tunnel project in 1825 was the first in which a tunneling shield was used. Designed by Sir Marc Brunel, the device was considered unsuccessful and was not employed again until 1870, after what crucial improvement was made? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 President Lyndon B. Johnson Declares a "War on Poverty" (1964)During his first State of the Union address, President Johnson outlined a vast program of economic and social welfare legislation designed to create what he termed the "Great Society." As part of this platform, Johnson called for a nationwide "War on Poverty" in response to a high national poverty rate. Johnson's call led Congress to pass the Economic Opportunity Act, legislation that established an agency to administer federal funds targeted against poverty. Did it work? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (1912)Ferrer was an American actor, director, and producer. He made his Broadway debut in 1935 and gained acclaim playing the starring role in Charley's Aunt (1940) and Iago in a 1943 Broadway production of Othello. A versatile actor with a rich and powerful voice, he appeared in many films, including The Caine Mutiny and Ship of Fools. In 1950, he won an Academy Award for his performance as the title character in what film version of a play that he had also starred in? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Two cheers for Democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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nice one— 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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 Battle of New Orleans Day (2020)When British soldiers attacked near the Chalmette plantation outside New Orleans on January 8, 1815, they were met by a ragtag army of militiamen, sailors, and pirates fighting from behind barricades. The defending U.S. troops were led by General Andrew Jackson, whose stunning victory—the British suffered some 2,000 casualties, while the Americans lost only eight men—made him a national hero. This day remains a legal holiday in Louisiana, where it is also known as Jackson Day or, in honor of Jackson's nickname, as Old Hickory's Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: pineapplecollective fruit - That which is formed from a mass of flowers, as the mulberry, pineapple, etc. More... Hawaiian pizza - A pizza topped with pineapple and ham or prosciutto. More... pineapple - Originally, pineapple was the word for pinecone, since the cone is the fruit of the pine and apple had the former general meaning "fruit"; pineapple is neither "pine" nor "apple," but is a very big berry and is also called "king pine" or "excellent fruit." More... multiple fruit, fruitlet - The pineapple is termed a multiple fruit because it forms from the individual ovaries of several flowers; each raised button on its surface is called a fruitlet. More... | |