Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, November 10, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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blather
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Interrogative Pronouns and Reported QuestionsInterrogative pronouns can appear in the middle of reported questions. Reported questions are actually a form of declarative sentences using reported speech, which is what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The SphinxThe sphinx was a mythical beast of ancient Egypt, usually represented in sculpture in a recumbent position with the head of a man and the body of a lion. The most famous of these is the Great Sphinx at Giza, built around 2500 BCE and considered by the ancients as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In Greek mythology, a sphinx poses a version of this famous riddle to Oedipus: "What walks on four feet in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?" What is the answer? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Hope Diamond Donated to the Smithsonian Institution (1958)The Hope diamond is one of the largest blue diamonds known. Discovered in India, the original 115-carat stone was sold to King Louis XIV in the 1660s and remained part of the French crown jewels until a theft in 1792. In 1830, London banker Thomas Hope purchased a 45.5-carat diamond, now believed to have been cut from the stolen French jewel. After changing hands many times, the Hope diamond was eventually donated to the Smithsonian by jeweler Harry Winston. Why do some think the gem is cursed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Richard Burton (1925)Richard Jenkins, better known by his stage name Richard Burton, was a dark, introspective actor who specialized in portraying conflicted men. His tempestuous marriage to Elizabeth Taylor led to an acting partnership that vaulted Burton to the top rank of stardom. Together they made 11 films, including Cleopatra and The Taming of the Shrew. Burton and Taylor were married twice, and their real-life marriage was popularly likened to the fictional marriage they portrayed in what film? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 God...doth hang the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.Francis Bacon (1561-1626) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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first port of call— The first place where one stops to visit, accomplish something, or begin a process. Taken from nautical terminology, referring to the first port that a seafaring vessel calls in to at the beginning of a voyage. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Martin's Eve (Estonia) (2019)Traditionally, children in Estonia go from door to door at dusk on St. Martin's Eve in much the same way that American children trick-or-treat on Halloween. If they are not welcomed into the house and given treats, they retaliate by singing rude and uncomplimentary songs. Usually they're ushered into the kitchen, where such delicacies as apples, nuts, cookies, and raisin bread are handed out. Turnips are another prized gift, as is viljandi kama, a kind of meal composed of grains and dried vegetables mixed with sour milk, sugar, and cream that is regarded as a special treat. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: opportunityEl Dorado - A place offering fabulous wealth or opportunity (after the legendary place in South America, "the gilded one"). More... ease - First meant "opportunity, ability," or "means to do something." More... hint - First meant "an occasion or opportunity." More... occasion - Once had the specific sense of "an opportunity for finding fault or giving offense." More... | |