Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, February 2, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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temerity
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Regular and Irregular InflectionRegular inflection is governed by consistent, predictable rules. Irregular inflection doesn’t seem to follow any rules or conventions at all. What are some examples of irregular inflection? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 FilibustersA filibuster is an obstructionist tactic used in legislative assemblies. It is particularly associated with the US Senate, where the tradition of unlimited debate is strong, and it has been used by conservatives and liberals for very different purposes. It was not until 1917 that the Senate provided for cloture—or ending of the debate—by a vote of two-thirds of the Senators present. Yet, despite many attempts, cloture has been applied only rarely. What is the etymology of the term "filibuster"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Alexander Selkirk Rescued after Four Years Stranded on a Desert Island (1709)Selkirk was an unruly Scottish sailor who quarreled with his captain and asked to be put ashore on an island in the Pacific. Tired of Selkirk's troublemaking, the captain granted him his wish. Selkirk promptly regretted his decision and chased after the boat, but to no avail. He survived on the desert island by eating shellfish and goats and domesticated feral cats to keep himself safe from rats. When he was rescued four years later, his story became the inspiration for what fictional character? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Joyce (1882)Joyce was an Irish novelist—perhaps the most influential and significant novelist of the 20th century. After publishing his story collection, The Dubliners, and the autobiographical novel Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, he spent seven years writing Ulysses, which is now widely regarded by many as the greatest English-language novel of the 20th century. It embodies a highly experimental use of language and exploration of new literary methods such as what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Success comes to a writer, as a rule, so gradually that it is always something of a shock to him to look back and realize the heights to which he has climbed.P. G. Wodehouse (1881-1975) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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wear two hats— To hold or function in more than one position or role. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Groundhog Day (2015)There was a medieval superstition that all hibernating animals came out on Candlemas to check the weather. If they could see their shadows, it meant that winter would go on for another six weeks. The most famous forecaster in the U.S. is Punxsutawney Phil, a legendary groundhog in Pennsylvania believed to be nearly a century old. Thousands of people trek up to Phil's burrow on February 2 and get the news directly from him. Numerous events take place in Punxsutawney surrounding February 2, including parties, live entertainment, and a winter carnival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: micemurine - Means "pertaining to mice or rodents." More... muscle - Comes from Latin musculus, "little mouse," as the ancient Romans thought their muscles wriggled like mice. More... mussel - Also gets its name from Latin musculus. More... dormouse - A rodent but not a mouse, it may be a corrupted form of French dormeus, "sleepy." More... | |