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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 Shakespeare's Othello Performed for the First Time (1604)First performed at London's Whitehall Palace, Shakespeare's Othello—a timeless story of jealousy, betrayal, and racism—is still studied and debated today. The play is likely an adaptation of a short story by Italian writer Cinthio called "Un Capitano Moro" and may have been inspired by certain events of the day—such as the arrival of a Moorish delegation in London in 1600. In Shakespeare's tale, the protagonist strangles his wife, but in Cinthio's story, she is killed in what brutal way? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Grantland Rice (1880)Born in Tennessee, Rice began his career as a reporter with the Nashville News in 1901 before moving to New York. There, he became known as the "Dean of American Sportswriters." For decades, he was in charge of selecting the All-American football team for Collier's magazine. In his widely syndicated column, "The Sportlight," Rice coined some of sports' most memorable phrases. What famous quote about winning and losing is derived from one of Rice's poems? 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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in the unlikely event (that) (something) happens— If a very improbable outcome turns out to be the case. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 International Arts and Crafts Fair (2020)The International Arts and Crafts Fair in Burkina Faso, which takes place in the capital city, Ouagadougou, is part of a national development plan that heavily promotes the African handicraft sector. Along with showcasing the works of Burkinabé craftspeople, the 10-day exposition also displays crafts from over 30 other African countries as well as European and Asian nations. It is one of the world's largest handicraft fairs. Exporters from all over the world have traveled to the fair to peruse the many statues, textiles, leatherwork, jewelry, pottery, and ceramics on display. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: mistress | |