Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, February 1, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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extenuation
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Quantifying Uncountable NounsAlthough similar in nature to other nouns, uncountable nouns refer to things that cannot be divided into individual units, and that therefore cannot be made plural at all. How do we quantify them? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Grub Street"Grub Street" was the name of a street in London known for its concentration of aspiring authors and poets, low-end publishers and bookshops, and writers of low-quality books. It existed on the margins of London's journalistic and literary scene and became famous for its bohemian society amidst low-rent flophouses, brothels, and coffeehouses. Today, "Grub Street" is used as a pejorative term for hack writers and their literary output. What poet popularized the contemporary image of Grub Street? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster (2003)The Space Shuttle Columbia broke up upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere during the conclusion of its 28th mission to space, killing its seven-member crew. Investigations revealed that the breakup resulted from damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation broke free from an external tank and struck the shuttle's left wing. NASA learned of the foam strike early on but failed take steps that might have averted the disaster. Why did they ignore the issue? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Langston Hughes (1902)Hughes was an American poet and a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His writing is largely concerned with depicting African-American life, particularly the experience of the urban African American, and often uses dialect and jazz rhythms. Along with several collections of poetry, Hughes published numerous other works, including several plays, books for children, and novels. While working as a busboy, Hughes launched his literary career by presenting his poems to what poet as he dined? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Beauty ought to look a little surprised: it is the emotion that best suits her face. The beauty who does not look surprised, who accepts her position as her due—she reminds us too much of a prima donna.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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out there— (hyphenated if used before a noun) Somewhat unusual, unconventional, crazy, or eccentric. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Yaya Matsuri (2022)The Yaya Matsuri, held in Owase, Japan, during the first week in February, features mikoshi (portable shrines) carried through the streets by groups of young men who meet and deliberately crash into each other. The festival takes its name from their shouts—"Yaya! Yaya!"—as they run into one another. Several special events, including dances, are held during the five-day festival. On the last night, there is a ceremony at the Owase Shrine to determine who will participate in the festival the next year. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: intoxicatednappy - Describing a beer that has a head and is foaming—or a person who is slightly intoxicated. More... capernoited - Slightly intoxicated. More... groggy - From grog, "spirits mixed with water," it first meant "intoxicated." More... temulent, temulency - Temulent means drunken or intoxicated; temulency is intoxication. More... | |