Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, March 19, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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self-reproach
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Adverbial NounsAdverbial nouns are nouns or noun phrases that function grammatically as adverbs to modify verbs and certain adjectives. Why are they sometimes referred to as "adverbial objectives"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Evolution of the Peppered MothThis moth has been the focus of scientific study for centuries, largely because its color changes illustrate one of the best-known models of natural selection. The moth survives by blending in with birch bark to escape the notice of hungry birds. When the Industrial Revolution blackened the trees with soot, dark moths surged in population as birds ate all the suddenly visible light ones. As air quality improved, trees lightened and light-colored moths resurged. What is this phenomenon called? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Nevada Legalizes Gambling (1931)Though unregulated gambling had been common in early Nevada mining towns, it was outlawed in 1909, and for many years, the state's economy was carried by mining. However, with the mining industry in decline amid the Great Depression, state lawmakers agreed to re-legalize gambling in order to strengthen the state's finances. Today, the state economy is dominated by tourism and gaming. Nevada has the unusually high ratio of approximately one hotel room to how many state residents? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Richard Frances Burton (1821)Burton lived a life of adventure and scandal as an explorer, translator, fencer, ethnologist, poet, and spy. He spoke at least 25 languages and put these skills to use translating works like the Arabian Nights and Kama Sutra into English. His linguistic skills also helped him pass himself off as a Muslim so that he could visit the forbidden holy cities of Mecca and Medina. After he died, his wife burned 40 years' worth of his diaries. What caused the distinctive scars on his face? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Misery is manifold...as the rainbow; its hues are as various as the hues of that arch.Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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let down (one's) guard— To become less guarded or vigilant; to stop being cautious about potential trouble or danger. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Joseph's Day (2021)In Valencia, Spain, the feast of the foster-father of Jesus is a week-long festival called Fallas de San Jose (Bonfires of St. Joseph). On St. Joseph's Eve, March 18, fallas (huge floats of intricate scenes made of wood and papier-mâché, satirizing everything from the high cost of living to political personalities) parade through the streets. At midnight on March 19, the celebration ends with the spectacular ceremony known as the crema, when all the fallas are set on fire. The festival is said to reflect the happy and satirical nature of the Valencians. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: jestjoke - Latin jocus, "jest, joke," gave us joke. More... ludicrous - Early senses of ludicrous, from the adjective ludic, were "sportive," "intended as jest" and "spontaneously playful." More... juggle, juggler - Juggle is from Latin joculus, a diminutive of jocus, and a juggler was originally a jester. More... jocose - From Latin jocus, it means "full of jokes." More... | |