Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, May 20, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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fuss-budget
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using the Present Continuous Tense for Future EventsLike the present simple tense, the present continuous can also describe future events. However, unlike the present simple, it describes that which someone is planning or expecting to do, as opposed to that which is at a fixed point in time in the future. The formation of the verb does not change to reflect this, so how can we recognize it? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 False DoorsMany ancient Egyptian tombs contain a false door facing west—toward the land of the dead. Made of stone or wood, these doors do not open, as they were designed for the use of the departed, who were said to be able to pass through them. Nested door jambs were used to give the doors an illusion of depth. The living would lay gifts to the dead in front of the doors, which were often decorated with depictions of the tomb's owner receiving the offerings. Why did some tombs have two false doors? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Cartographer Abraham Ortelius Issues the First Modern Atlas (1570)Prior to 1570, maps were often unreliable, illegible, and unwieldy. When Ortelius published his Theatrum orbis terrarium, it was the first comprehensive, easy-to-use, and fairly up-to-date collection of world maps. It drew from the works of 87 cartographers, all of whom were credited. Demand was immediate and persisted for decades, during which time dozens of editions were published in several languages. In addition to practical contemporary maps, Ortelius published what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Maitland "Jimmy" Stewart (1908)Stewart was an American actor recognized for his self-effacing screen persona. His slow, halting line delivery initially made him difficult to cast, but his idealistic characters in films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) soon endeared him to audiences, and he won an Oscar in 1940. His role as the quintessential small-town man helped make It's a Wonderful Life (1946) a Christmas classic. What mysterious Nepalese artifact did Stewart allegedly smuggle out of India? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Sometimes I wonder why God ever trusts talent in the hands of women, they usually make such an infernal mess of it. I think He must do it as a sort of ghastly joke.Willa Cather (1873-1947) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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good enough to eat— To have an extremely beautiful or aesthetically pleasing appearance. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Calgary International Children's Festival (2020)This five-day event takes place in downtown Calgary, located in the Canadian province of Alberta. The festival features storytelling, dance, music, puppetry, and physical comedy, all catering to a young audience. The performances take place in and around the Arts Commons, located in the Olympic Plaza Cultural District. The program of the festival, which was launched in 1989, reflects the organizers' emphasis on creativity and cultural sensitivity. Teacher guides are provided to instructors looking to ensure an educational experience for students. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stuffedfarctated, farctate - A farctated diner is one who cannot eat another bite; if you are farctate, you are stuffed to the gills or bloated from eating a large meal. More... pimola - An olive stuffed with sweet red pepper. More... gefilte fish - Not a species, but a fish loaf made from various kinds of ground fish and other ingredients; the first word is from Yiddish, from German gefullte, "stuffed." More... pudding - Originally a sausage—the stomach or intestine of a pig, sheep, etc.—stuffed with other food. More... | |