Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, March 23, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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buffoon
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Alternative QuestionsAlternative questions are questions that provide a choice among two or more answers. These choices might be explicitly stated in the question (identified by the coordinating conjunction "or"), or they might be implied by the context. What are alternative questions also known as? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Red Imported Fire AntAccidentally introduced into the US in the 1930s from its native S America, the red imported fire ant (RIFA) is an invasive ant species that has since spread to Asia and Australia. These resilient, aggressive pests possess a painful sting and build mounds that can destroy crops. US officials estimate that the ants cause more than $5 billion in damages annually. While RIFA stings are rarely life-threatening to humans, the insects are responsible for at least 80 deaths. What causes them to swarm? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Passenger Elevator Installed (1857)Elevators—in one form or another—have been used to make human life easier since ancient times. They were once just simple hoists but are now incredibly complex mechanical systems. One of the most significant advances came in 1853 with the invention of a safety device to prevent elevators from plummeting in the event of cable failure. Four years later, the first passenger elevator was installed, paving the way for taller buildings and the urban geography of modern cities. Where was it installed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Emmy Noether (1882)After Noether died, Albert Einstein wrote in a letter to The New York Times that she was "the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began." Her contributions to abstract algebra and theoretical physics were groundbreaking, evidenced by the inclusion of her name in several concepts, including "Noether's Theorem," "Noetherian module," "Noetherian ring," and "Noetherian induction." Where were her ashes buried? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Faith is believing what you know ain't so.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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let the good times roll— To have as much fun or live life as richly as possible. (Often said as an imperative.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Pakistan Day (2021)This national holiday is also known as Republic Day, and it is the anniversary of a 1940 resolution calling for a Muslim country for Muslim Indians. On the same day in 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic within the British Commonwealth. Pakistan Day is celebrated with parades and fairs. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: vigorvim, vigor - Vim is the same as vigor. More... bouncing - In bouncing baby, it means "vigorous." More... feckful - Means "efficient, vigorous," or "powerful." More... macho, machismo - Macho is from Mexican Spanish, meaning "male animal or plant" or "masculine, vigorous"—from Latin masculus, "male"; machismo (pronounced mah-CHEEZ-mo) is based on macho. More... | |