Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, April 21, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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arduous
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Present Continuous Tense (Progressive)We create the present continuous tense by using the present participle (-ing form) of the verb after the present-tense form of the auxiliary verb "be." What is the most common occurrence of the present continuous tense? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Blood Eagle TortureReferenced in some Norse saga literature, the Blood Eagle is a form of torture and execution performed by cutting the victim's ribs by the spine, breaking them to resemble blood-stained wings, and pulling the lungs out through the gaping wound. Though some cite archaeological evidence of the practice, others argue that it never occurred and that accounts of the method are based on folklore or inaccurate translations. Which Viking Age rulers were reportedly victims of the gruesome torture? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 World's Fair Starts in Seattle, Washington (1962)Hosted at the dawn of the Space Age, the 1962 World's Fair featured a glittering array of futuristic technology. Nearly 10 million people came to see the new cars and gadgets or ride to the top of the new Space Needle. While its technology was advanced, the fair anticipated none of the social changes soon to come—the society of the future looked like that of 1950s, but with gyrocopters. Why did US President John F. Kennedy lie, claiming to be too sick to attend the closing ceremony? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Muir (1838)Once an aspiring industrial engineer, US conservationist John Muir devoted himself to nature after losing an eye in an 1867 factory accident. That year, he walked from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico, a journey of about 1,000 mi (1,600 km). He then moved to California and spent much of the next 12 years traveling and writing about nature. He promoted the idea of national forest preserves and helped establish Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. What four items did he take on his backcountry hikes? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have had the biscuit— To be no longer functional or useful; to be dead or about to perish. Primarily heard in Canada. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Feast of Ridvan (2018)The Feast of Ridvan is a Baha'i celebration to commemorate a 12-day period in 1863 when the Baha'i founder, Baha'u'llah (which means "Glory of God"), made the declaration that he was God's messenger for this age. When he made his declaration, Baha'u'llah was staying outside Baghdad, Iraq, at a garden he called Ridvan, meaning "Paradise." The first, ninth, and 12th days of the period (April 21, 29, and May 2, respectively) are holy days when work is suspended. The celebration starts at sunset, April 20, the eve of Ridvan. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: limitsdeterminer - A word that limits or indicates the scope of a noun. More... modifier, qualifier - A word or phrase that limits or qualifies the sense of another is a modifier or qualifier. More... temper - Originally a proportionate mixture, is from Latin temperare, "to mix correctly; regulate" or "to keep within limits." More... | |