Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, April 14, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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will-o'-the-wisp
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Creating Adverbs of MannerAdverbs of manner are used to tell us how something happens or is done. They are very often formed from adjectives by simply adding "-ly," but sometimes, the spelling of a word will have to change slightly so as to better accommodate the extra "-ly." If the adjective ends in "-ic," for instance, what does the ending become? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 CoelacanthsCoelacanths, powerful predators with limb-like fins, appeared about 350 million years ago. Once considered the missing link between fish and tetrapods, they were thought to have become extinct 80 million years ago—until one was caught in 1938 near the southern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. They are deep-sea fish with hollow fin spines and average 5 ft (1.5 m) in length and weigh approximately 100 lb (45 kg). How is the coelacanth's heart different from those of other vertebrates? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Donner Party Sets Out on Ill-Fated Journey from Illinois to California (1846)The Donner Party was a group of families from Illinois and Iowa that set out for California following a little-used, supposedly shorter, route across Utah. The shortcut only tired and delayed the party, and while recovering at what is now Donner Lake in the Sierra Nevada, the group was trapped by early snow. Many died, several while trying to get help; some reportedly resorted to cannibalism. Rescuers reached the survivors in February 1847. How many of the 87 pioneers survived the ordeal? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (1891)A member of the caste of Dalits—once known as Untouchables—Ambedkar obtained his education abroad. He returned to his native India and worked in law before entering politics. In 1947, he became the law minister of the government of India and was instrumental in framing the Indian constitution. In that capacity, he made great strides in fighting for the rights of Dalits, even criticizing Gandhi's position on the caste system. How did the two Indian leaders differ in their approaches? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is so pleasant to come across people more stupid than ourselves. We love them at once for being so.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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live and kicking— Alive, healthy, and alert. (A truncated version of "alive and kicking.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Takayama Matsuri (2021)Held twice a year in Japan, in the spring and the autumn, the Takayama Festival is famous for its elaborately decorated yatai (festival floats), which are adorned with beautiful fabrics, lacquered wood, and patterned metals. Twelve of these floats appear at the April festival, held at Takayama's Hie Shrine, and 11 participate in the October festival. Some yatai feature performances of kabuki (puppet plays), often performed by mechanical marionettes. A highlight of the festival is the parade of gongs known as tokeigaku, which produce a unique kind of folk music. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: midnightbeauty sleep - First defined as sleep taken before midnight, regarded as the most refreshing portion. More... mesonoxian - Means "of or related to midnight." More... quarternight - Halfway between sundown and midnight. More... small hours - Midnight or 1 a.m. to dawn, when the numbered hours are "small." More... | |