Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, May 1, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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abhorrence
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Reflexive PronounsAlthough not technically considered personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns are very similar in form and use. When are reflexive pronouns used? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The HakaThe haka is a traditional dance of the Maori of New Zealand, performed by a group in unison and incorporating rhythmic shouting, foot stamping, and contorted facial expressions. It was traditionally performed when two groups met, whether for war or diplomacy. Many people today are familiar with this type of dance because it is performed by New Zealand's international rugby team, the All Blacks, while facing the opposing team before each match. How is the haka said to have originated? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 General Mills Introduces Cheerios as CheeriOats (1941)General Mills introduced its oat-based, ready-to-eat cold cereal as CheeriOats but, in 1946, changed its name to Cheerios because of a trademark dispute with Quaker Oats. Today, it comes in nearly a dozen different flavors and is marketed to children as well as adults. It has used several different characters in its advertising over the years, including Charlie Brown from Peanuts. Why did the US Food and Drug Administration call Cheerios an "unapproved new drug" in 2009? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Joseph Heller (1923)As a bombardier with the US Air Force during World War II, American writer Joseph Heller flew 60 combat missions. He drew on his wartime experiences when writing his darkly humorous novel Catch-22 (1961), a satiric commentary on the absurdity of war and bureaucracy. One of the most significant works of postwar protest literature, it was a huge critical success. What did Heller famously reply when asked why he had not written anything else as good as Catch-22? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To attain happiness in another world we need only to believe something, while to secure it in this world we must do something.Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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high note— The most successful, impressive, or climactic point (of something). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Marshall Islands Constitution Day (2020)In 1943, during World War II, the Allied forces invaded the Marshall Islands; at the end of the war, the United States was given effective power there. On May 1, 1979, the Marshall Islands constitution was signed, establishing it as a self-governing country. Constitution Day is a public holiday in the Marshall Islands. On this day of celebration, people gather together for a parade to commemorate their independence. Field-day contests are held between all private and public schools, entities within the community itself, and more. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: mysterybags of mystery - Slang for sausage. More... mystery - Traces back to Greek mustikos, "secret," and musterion, "secret rites"; the lesser-known meaning of mystery as "handicraft; art" is part of the phrase "mystery play." More... mystify - Derived from mystery or mystic. More... rune - An ancient alphabet letter, it is from Old English run, "secret, mystery." More... | |