Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, March 22, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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first-class
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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InfinitivesAn infinitive is the most basic form of a verb. It is "unmarked" (not conjugated for tense or person), and it is preceded by the particle "to." What is a split infinitive? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 TrypanophobiaIt is estimated that at least 10 percent of American adults are trypanophobic, meaning they have an abnormal fear of medical procedures involving hypodermic needles. Sufferers exposed to such procedures may experience anxiety, faintness, sweating, nausea, and panic attacks, and they may therefore avoid inoculations, blood tests, and, in extreme cases, all medical care. How many deaths have been attributed to vasovagal shock stemming from trypanophobia? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Arab League Is Founded (1945)The League of Arab States was formed in 1945 to give unified political expression to Arab nations and to foster the regional economy. It originally consisted of seven member states and has since grown to include 22. Member states collaborate on cultural, economic, and social programs and have agreed to coordinate military defense measures. They also use the league as a forum for mediating disputes. Which notable countries with large Arab populations are not members of the league? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599)Apprenticed to a Flemish painter at age 10, van Dyck soon came under the influence of master painter Peter Paul Rubens. In 1632, he was invited by Charles I to England, where he was made court painter and knighted. Overwhelmed with commissions, van Dyck employed a team of assistants to help complete his portraits, many of which can be seen in the Louvre, the Museo del Prado, and Buckingham Palace. His works influenced generations of portraitists. What king employed van Dyck before Charles I did? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have a look-see— To have a very quick look or brief examination. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Bretzelsonndeg (Pretzel Sunday) (2020)On Bretzelsonndeg in Luxembourg, it is the custom for boys to present their sweethearts with decorated pretzel-cakes. If a girl wants to encourage the boy, she reciprocates with a decorated egg on Easter Sunday. If the pretzel-cake is large, the egg must be large also; a small cake warrants a small egg. The custom is reversed during Leap Year, when girls give cakes to boys on Pretzel Sunday, and boys return the favor with eggs at Easter. Married couples often participate in the exchange of cakes and eggs as well. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: secondsblipvert - A TV advertisement of a few seconds' length. More... centiday - A period of 14 minutes 24 seconds, a hundredth of a day, used especially in the study of plant growth. More... fireflies, lightning bug - Fireflies glow for a while but die down; lightning bugs flash their taillights for only a few seconds and never in the same place twice. More... | |