Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, April 3, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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sternutation
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Present ParticipleThe present participle is the "-ing" form of a verb. This verb form is always the same, whether the verb is regular or irregular. What is the present participle of the irregular verb "run"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 GeishaAmerican soldiers returning home after WWII brought with them many misconceptions about traditional Japanese geisha culture, including the now widespread Western belief that geisha are prostitutes. In fact, geisha are highly-trained entertainers who are skilled in the arts of singing, dancing, conversing, and playing traditional instruments. Geisha are known for their recognizable white makeup, elaborate dress, and complex hairstyles. How must geisha sleep in order to protect these hairdos? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Stalin Appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party (1922)After the October Revolution of 1917, Stalin began to emerge as a leader within the new Russian regime. He became one of Lenin's top aides and was appointed general secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Although Lenin expressed misgivings about Stalin's use of power and recommended his removal, Stalin maintained his position and went on to take control of the USSR following Lenin's death. Born Joseph Dzhugashvili, he adopted the surname Stalin in 1913. What does the name mean? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jane Goodall (1934)Soon after finishing high school, Goodall fulfilled her childhood ambition of traveling to Africa, where she assisted British anthropologist Louis Leakey, who suggested she study chimpanzees. In 1960, she established a research camp in what is now Tanzania. For decades, she kept meticulous records of chimpanzees' movements, interactions, and social organization. Her observations established that chimpanzees have complex social behaviors and disproved what long-standing beliefs? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is equally offensive to speed a guest who would like to stay and to detain one who is anxious to leave.Homer (900 BC-800 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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sleep like a baby— To experience a very deep and restful sleep; to sleep soundly. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Guinea Second Republic Day (2022)Guinea was ruled by a dictatorship led by Sekou Touré, who ruled the small West African nation for over 25 years (1958-1984). After Touré's death, there was a bloodless coup on April 3, 1984. This ushered in what many Guineans refer to as the Second Republic, led by Lansana Conté. The observation of Second Republic Day is largely orchestrated by the government. In honor of the coup's 24th anniversary in 2008, Conté and Guinean prime minister Lansana Kouyate were guests of honor at a wreath-laying ceremony at a martyrs' memorial located in the center of Conakry, the capital city. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: trumpetkazoo, bazooka - Dutch bazu, "trumpet," gives us the words kazoo and bazooka, the latter originally being a form of kazoo that was a long sounding-horn. More... jubilee - Comes from Hebrew yobhel, "ram's horn," which was used as a trumpet to proclaim the jubilee, a year of emancipation and restoration (every 50 years). More... taratantara - The sound of a bugle or trumpet can be called taratantara. More... | |