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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Present Perfect Continuous TenseThe present perfect continuous tense is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb "have" along with "been" and the present participle of the "main" verb. The present perfect continuous is very close in meaning to how we use the present perfect tense. How do they differ? 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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 US President Lincoln Signs Homestead Act into Law (1862)The Homestead Act was a federal law that sought to shape the American West by populating it with farmers. The act provided for the transfer of 160 acres of unoccupied public land to each homesteader at $1.25 an acre after six months of residence or for a nominal fee after five years. However, the generous law became subject to fraud and corporate abuse. The settlers did not fare much better, given the harsh land and arid conditions out West. Who was the last person to take advantage of the law? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Cher (1946)In a career spanning almost 50 years, Cherilyn Sarkisian, better known as Cher, has established herself as an enduring pop culture icon and one of the most popular female artists in music history. Cher first rose to prominence in the 1960s as one half of the pop duo Sonny and Cher. In 1965, their first hit, "I Got You Babe," topped US and UK charts. Cher went on to become an accomplished solo artist as well as a TV and film actress. What was the biggest-selling single of her career? 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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take the weight off (one's) feet— To lie or (especially) sit down, generally after being upright for a long period of time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Mecklenburg Independence Day (2022)The citizens of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, like to think that their ancestors were the first to call for independence from the British when they adopted the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775. But historians now believe that the resolutions calling for independence were never actually presented there. Even though the Mecklenburg patriots may not have been the first to declare their independence from British rule, their actions represent an important step on the road to the American Revolution. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: prune | |