Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, February 12, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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cogitate
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using the Active VoiceYou should always use the active voice if an agent is identifiable or contains information that is relevant to the rest of the sentence. On the other hand, when an agent is unknown or irrelevant, we usually switch to the passive voice and do what to the agent? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Satanic Ritual AbuseIn the 1980s, allegations of physical and sexual abuse linked to occult or satanic rituals caused a panic in the US. These claims of satanic ritual abuse typically came from children in daycare centers, but nearly all instances were later discredited when the coercive methods used to generate testimony came to light. These included asking children leading questions and "uncovering" unconscious mental traumas in therapy. What were some of the outlandish claims children were pressured to make? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Lady Jane Grey, "The Nine Days' Queen," Beheaded (1554)A tragic figure in English history, Lady Jane Grey was a pretty, intelligent young girl whose life was cut short due to the political machinations of those closest to her. When she was just 15, she was wed to the son of a duke. Her father-in-law then persuaded the dying King Edward VI, still a boy himself, to name Lady Jane his successor. She reigned for just nine days before stepping down. Though she was convicted of high treason, she might never have been executed had her father not done what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jan Swammerdam (1637)Dutch naturalist Jan Swammerdam was a pioneer in the use of the microscope and made valuable contributions to the understanding of human anatomy and the future of anatomical study. He was the first person to observe and describe red blood cells, and he improved techniques for examining, preserving, and dissecting cadavers. However, his primary focus was the study of insects, many of which he described and drew in great detail. What led him to eventually abandon his scientific pursuits? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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publicity hound— Someone who seeks to have the attention of the public constantly focused on him- or herself, typically by means of attracting media coverage. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Georgia Day (2022)Also known as Oglethorpe Day, February 12 commemorates the day in 1733 when James Edward Oglethorpe and 120 other Englishmen landed in Savannah, Georgia, to establish a new colony. In 1965, the anniversary of the state's founding was officially proclaimed Georgia Day. On February 12, there is a procession through the historic town of Savannah and a luncheon. Since 1966, there has been a reenactment of Oglethorpe's landing, with costumed residents playing the roles of Georgia's first European settlers and of the American Indians who greeted them upon their arrival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stairwayhalf-pace - A broad step or small landing between two half flights in a staircase. More... companionway - A stairway or ladder from a deck to the cabin below. More... staircase - A stairway does not necessarily have a handrail or balustrade—but a staircase does. More... newel - The main post at the bottom of a banister or stairway. More... | |