Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, March 22, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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cognoscente
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Reporting VerbsBoth direct and indirect speech use what are known as "reporting verbs," the most common of which are "say" and "tell." When we use "tell," we need to use another person's name or a personal pronoun as an indirect object. What are other reporting verbs? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 YariThe yari is a traditional Japanese spear consisting of a pointed blade affixed to the end of a lengthy pole. It came into common use after the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century. Confronted by hordes of Mongols bearing spears, the Japanese—who had traditionally engaged in highly-skilled, ritualized combat involving swords—were forced to adopt the yari. In the modern era of firearms, the yari is largely a ceremonial weapon. What variations of yari were once used? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Hale-Bopp Comet Makes Closest Approach to Earth (1997)Likely the most widely observed comet of the 20th century, Hale-Bopp—named for American astronomers Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp—was visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months, observable even from large cities with light-polluted skies. The comet's passage excited stargazers but also incited various conspiracy theories. The notion that it was followed by an alien spacecraft inspired a mass suicide among members of the Heaven's Gate cult. When will Hale-Bopp return to the inner solar system? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Adam Sedgwick (1785)One of the founders of modern geology, Sedgwick coined the term Cambrian to describe the earliest geologic period of the Paleozoic era, and, in his most important work, he and geologist R. I. Murchison named the Devonian Period—after the rock formations they studied at Devonshire. Sedgwick was outspoken in asserting the consistency between his scientific findings and his religious beliefs. How, then, did he respond when his former student Charles Darwin published Origin of Species? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Experience, n.: The wisdom that enables us to recognize as an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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scare (someone) silly— To shock or frighten someone very suddenly and/or severely. Hyperbolically alludes to frightening someone so severely as to cause them to lose their mind. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 World Day for Water (2022)In 1992, the United Nations declared March 22 World Day for Water. Programs associated with the day draw attention to the ways in which proper water resource management contributes to a nation's economic and social vitality. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: researchdisquisition - A diligent or systematic search, a thorough investigation or research. More... primary source - A direct source of information or research, a document not emended by a third party. More... secondary source - Information or research that is derivative, such as a comment by a historian, an encyclopedia article, or a critical essay. More... Rh factor - Named for the rhesus monkeys used in research to identify blood types. More... | |