Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 2, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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oceanaut
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Second ConditionalSecond conditional sentences include a simple past tense verb in the "if clause" and a future tense verb in the main clause, preceded by the auxiliary verb "would." What do these sentences refer to? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Ryutin AffairThe Ryutin Affair, one of the last attempts of the Soviet Communist Party to oppose Stalin, took place in 1932, when Martemyan Ryutin, an Old Bolshevik, decided to secretly oppose the controversial Soviet leader. In a nearly 200-page document now known as the "Ryutin Platform," he called for Stalin's elimination and a "fresh start," but he was soon identified as the author, imprisoned, and ultimately executed. What happened when Stalin initially proposed the death penalty for Ryutin? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Balfour Declaration (1917)The Balfour Declaration was a British government statement promising the establishment of a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine that would not disturb non-Jews already living there. The British anticipated gaining a mandate over Palestine after WWI and hoped to win over Jewish public opinion for the Allies. They also hoped that pro-British settlers would help protect the approaches to the Suez Canal, a vital link to Britain's South Asian possessions. Who actually wrote the declaration? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Warren G. Harding (1865)With promises to the war-weary American public of a "return to normalcy" in the wake of WWI, Harding was elected 29th president of the US. However, his administration soon earned a reputation for corruption. As an investigation into what proved to be the Teapot Dome scandal began, he traveled to Alaska, where he was informed of the corruption about to be exposed. While en route home, he became mysteriously ill, allegedly from food poisoning, and suddenly died. What caused his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To found principles of government upon too advantageous an estimate of the human character is an error of inexperience, the source of which is so amiable that it is impossible to censure it with severity.John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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fair-weather fan— A person who is supportive of and enthusiastic about a sports team only when that team is performing well. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Voodoo Music Experience (2019)The Voodoo Music Experience is an annual music festival that takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana, over a three-day weekend in late October. The event debuted in 1999 with the aim of showcasing the verve and diversity of New Orleans' renowned music scene, as well as bringing famed acts to the city. Performers are grouped into three categories: "Le Ritual" for established musicians; "Le Flambeau" for artists who reflect New Orleans' musical history and traditions; and "Le Carnival" for musicians and performance artists from New Orleans' underground art and bohemian scene. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stoppagearmistice - Comes from Latin armistitium—from arma, "arms," and -stitium, "stoppage"—and means a temporary cessation from fighting or the use of arms, or a short truce. More... solstice - Derived from Latin sol, "Sun," and stitium, as the Sun appears to stand still on the first day of winter. More... epoch - Pronounced EH-puhk, it is from Greek epokhe, "fixed point in time, stoppage," and it was first the initial point in a chronology from which succeeding years were numbered. More... stasis - A period of inactivity or equilibrium, from Greek histanai, "stoppage." More... | |