Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, November 1, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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unskillful
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Uncountable Nouns and PronounsJust as uncountable nouns cannot take the indefinite articles "a" or "an" because there is not "one" of them, it is equally incorrect to use third-person plural pronouns with them. Why? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Third Servile WarThe Servile Wars were three slave uprisings—the last of which was led by the gladiator Spartacus—that took place in the later years of the Roman Republic. With a force of 90,000 gladiators, slaves, and peasants, Spartacus overran most of southern Italy in 73 BCE. He led his army north, hoping to release them to find freedom, but they refused to abandon their campaign. After Spartacus was killed in battle, the revolt was cruelly put down by Crassus and Pompey. How were the survivors punished? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Malbone Street Wreck (1918)One of the deadliest train crashes in US history took place during a strike of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, some of whose members operated elevated trains for the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT). To keep service running, the BRT brought in inexperienced motormen to replace the striking workers. That evening, a five-car train derailed in the Malbone Street tunnel after negotiating a curve too quickly, killing 93. How many hours of training had the train's operator received? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887)Lowry was an English painter noted for his bleak northern industrial scenes, often featuring primitive figures that he called "matchstick men." He also appears to hold the record for the most honors declined. He twice declined appointment to the Order of the British Empire—as an officer in 1955 and as a commander in 1961—and turned down a knighthood in 1968 and appointments to the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1972 and 1976. Which of his controversial works were exhibited after his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There are only two styles of portrait painting, the serious and the smirk.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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extra pair of hands— Additional help or assistance provided by another person. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Antigua and Barbuda Independence Day (2019)Antigua and Barbuda became officially independent from England in 1981. Antigua had been settled by English people as early as 1632. It did not gain self-rule until 1967. This small state also observes the first Monday and Tuesday in August as a legal holiday known as Antigua Carnival, during which a festival celebrates the islanders' cultural heritage. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: proofevidence, proof - Evidence—from Latin e-, "out," and videre, "to see"— is information that helps form a conclusion; proof is factual information that verifies a conclusion. More... proof in the pudding - A shortening of the saying "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," i.e. a thing is tested by putting it to its intended use. More... proof - The strength of alcohol. More... adduce - To cite as an instance or as proof or evidence. More... | |