Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, December 19, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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afflict
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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"Could" and the Subjunctive MoodWe use the modal verb "could" instead of "can" when describing an ability that is desired or wished for. This is known as the subjunctive mood. In what kinds of situations is the subjunctive mood typically used? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ElamElam was an ancient country situated in what is today western Iran. The Elamite population was neither Sumerian nor Semitic, and their language—unrelated to any other—survives in a copious cuneiform literature. Elam seems to have maintained its independence through numerous invasions and counter-invasions, and a distinct Elamite culture flourished from the 13th century BCE. Though Elam was eventually absorbed in the rise of Persia, its culture persisted. What religion did the Elamites practice? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Titanic Released in US Theaters (1997)Before Titanic was released, some film critics predicted that it would be a box office disaster. At the time, it was the costliest film ever made, and production delays had pushed the release date far past the lucrative summer season. Yet by the end of its first weekend, the three-hour-long film was selling out theaters. It won 11 Academy Awards and remained the highest-grossing film in history for 12 years. What important historical fact did the director choose to omit from the film? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mary Livermore (1820)After graduating from a female seminary in 1831 and working as a teacher, Livermore married a Universalist minister and became an activist, lecturer, and popular author. She volunteered with the US Sanitary Commission to aid soldiers of the Union Army during the American Civil War and later promoted women's rights. In 1863, she organized a "Sanitary Fair" that raised a tremendous amount of money for the Commission. What did US President Abraham Lincoln donate for the auction event? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Patriotism is like charity—it begins at home.Henry James (1843-1916) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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user base— business jargon The number units of a particular product or service that are currently in use, especially software or an internet or computing platform. (Also referred to as "install(ed) user base" or simply "install(ed) base.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Carriacou Parang Festival (2020)The Carriacou Parang Festival has been held annually since 1977 to sustain the musical tradition of house-to-house serenading by acoustic string bands at Christmas time. Organized parang groups from villages throughout Carriacou, its neighboring island Petit Martinique, and Grenada compete for cash prizes and a challenge trophy. Groups comprise not more than eight members, all dressed in colorful outfits to reflect the festive season. Some of the instruments used include the bass drum, guitar, violin, marack (shack-shack), mandolin, saxophone, and others. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: weighdispense - Ultimately from Latin dispendere, "weigh out." More... expend - Comes from ex-, "out," and pendere, "weigh; pay"; originally, it referred to spending money, with the root sense being "to weigh out money." More... preponderate - Once meant "weigh more" and "have greater intellectual weight." More... spend - A blend of Latin pendere, "pay, weigh," and expendere, "pay out." More... | |
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