Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, May 6, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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witticism
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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GerundsA gerund is the "-ing" form of a verb when it functions grammatically as a noun in a sentence. What is a gerund phrase? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 AeolipileInvented in the first century by Greek mathematician Hero of Alexandria, the Hero engine, or aeolipile, is a steam-powered device that illustrates the reactive forces of a gas jet. It usually consists of a mounted spherical vessel equipped with angled nozzles that release steam in opposite directions, causing rotational movement. The world's first steam engine, Hero’s aeolipile was a forerunner of the modern jet engine. Its name derives from a term meaning "ball of Aeolus." Who was Aeolus? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Hindenburg Disaster (1937)Launched in 1936 in Germany, the Hindenburg was the largest rigid airship ever constructed and was promoted by the Nazis as a symbol of national pride. It started the first commercial air service across the North Atlantic and made several trips to the Americas. On one such trip, the hydrogen-filled airship violently and unexpectedly exploded in flames and crashed in New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 people on board. What non-flammable gas was originally supposed to provide the airship's lift? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (1758)Robespierre was one of the leading figures of the French Revolution. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1789 and became an influential orator. After calling for the execution of the king in 1792, he led the Jacobins and the Committee of Public Safety in establishing the Reign of Terror, during which hundreds of thousands of political opponents were arrested and thousands were guillotined. In 1794, he was overthrown and executed. What was his role in the Cult of the Supreme Being? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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glad tidings— Favorable, beneficial, or happy news. Usually used with the verbs "give" or "bring." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Memphis in May (2020)This month-long festival in Memphis, Tennessee, focuses on a different nation's culture each year, with exhibitions, lectures, films, performing arts presentations, and sporting events. The festival opens with the Beale Street Music Festival. The second weekend features a salute to the year's honored country with special exhibits and events showcasing the culture of the country, and the third weekend is an international barbecue competition. The festival ends with the Sunset Symphony playing a concert of music from the featured country and an impressive display of fireworks. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: truckroo bar - An Australian term for a metal bar on the front of a car or truck that prevents the vehicle from being damaged in the event of a collision with an animal (such as a kangaroo). More... snow groomer - A truck or other vehicle, either with tracks running along both sides or dragging equipment behind, used to maintain ski hills and groom (pack down) snow. More... truck farm - Refers to the sense of truck as "commodities for sale," and, later, "garden produce for market." More... truck - Formed by combining Latin trochos, "wheel," and Greek trechein, "to run," it originally referred to a wooden wheel. More... | |