Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 1, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chef-d'oeuvre
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Attributive NounsAttributive nouns, also called noun adjuncts, are nouns that are used to modify other nouns. For example, the noun adjunct "toy" can be used to modify the noun "soldier." The resulting phrase ("toy soldier") is known as what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 TheobromineClosely related to caffeine, theobromine is a toxic alkaloid found in cocoa, chocolate products, tea, and cola nuts. Also known as xantheose, it is bitter and colorless and acts as a diuretic, vasodilator, cardiac stimulant, and smooth muscle relaxant. Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—a corrosive, toxic liquid element. Rather, its name is derived from the genus of the cacao tree, Theobroma, which is made up of the Greek roots theo and broma and means what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Taman Shud Case: Mystery Man Found Dead on Somerton Beach (1948)On the night of November 30, 1948, passersby on Australia's Somerton Beach saw a man they believed to be drunk or sleeping. The next day, the mystery man was determined to be dead, which opened the still unsolved Taman Shud Case. The dead man has never been identified. Though investigators promptly searched the body and found normal things like chewing gum in the mystery man's pocket, something strange was later found, taking the case in a new—but equally elusive—direction. What was it? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Alexandra of Denmark (1844)Though she was of royal blood, Princess Alexandra had a relatively normal upbringing. It was not until after she wed Prince Albert Edward of Wales in 1863 that her father, Christian IX, was crowned king of Denmark, and she did not ascend to the station of queen consort until many years after that. As queen, she devoted herself to charitable works and was beloved by the British public. She was held in such high regard, in fact, that society women adopted what physical impediment of hers? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In time we hate that which we often fear.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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media darling— A very famous and popular person who receives exceptionally positive media coverage or attention. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Romania National Day (2021)The national holiday of Romania has been celebrated since 1990, after the fall of the Romanian Communist Party head Nicolae Ceausescu, with military parades, speeches, and a holiday from work. This day marks the unification in 1918 of Romania and Transylvania and the formation of the Romanian state within its present-day boundaries. Romania's full independence had been recognized in 1878, but Transylvania had remained outside the new state. On December 1, a Romanian assembly passed the resolution of unity celebrated on National Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: pancasserole - Came from casse, "pan" or "ladle," which probably comes from Greek kuathos, "serving cup"; casserole is a diminutive of casse, "spoonlike container" (cassette is also a diminutive of casse). More... paella - The rice dish is Spanish for "frying pan," from Latin patella, "little pan." More... pan, brain pan - The upper part of the skull has been called the pan or brain pan. More... | |