Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, June 12, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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unflinching
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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ModifiersModifiers are, quite simply, any word or group of words that modifies (describes or elaborates upon) another element in a sentence. Modifiers can either be adjectives or what other part of speech? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The PhotophoneThough Alexander Graham Bell is best known for his telephone, he was proudest of his photophone, a device that uses rays of light to transmit sound. He made the first wireless call with it in 1880 and was so smitten with the invention that, to his wife's dismay, he wanted to name his second daughter "Photophone." Although outdoor interference from rain and clouds made the device impractical and it never caught on, it is considered the precursor to what modern method of information transfer? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Armagh Rail Disaster (1889)In 1889, a Sunday school train excursion in Armagh, Ireland, turned tragic when the train stalled while climbing a steep hill. The crew decoupled the cars, intending to climb the hill with the first few cars and then pull the remaining cars separately, but the back section had insufficient brakes and rolled down into an oncoming train. At least 78 people were killed in the crash, including many children. What had the crew put behind the wheels to prevent the train cars from rolling backwards? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Arthur Fellig, AKA Weegee (1899)A New York City-based photojournalist, Fellig distinguished himself with his stark and often grisly black-and-white images. His nickname, Weegee, a phonetic pronunciation of Ouija, was derived from his seemingly clairvoyant knowledge of where crimes and emergencies were taking place and his habit of frequently beating authorities to the scenes. In reality, there was nothing supernatural about this—he simply possessed a police radio and made good use of it. What did he keep in his car's trunk? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Sometimes people carry to such perfection the mask they have assumed that in due course they actually become the person they seem.W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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lightning in a bottle— An incredibly difficult, unlikely, and/or elusive achievement or period of success. (Usually used with "catch" or "capture.") Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Philippines Independence Day (2021)Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964) declared the Philippines independent on June 12, 1898. But the U.S. acquired the islands in 1899, and it wasn't until July 4, 1946, that they were granted full independence. For many years, Filipinos set aside July 4 to celebrate their independence. In 1962, the date was changed to June 12. Independence Day ceremonies in Manila include a military parade and the pealing of church bells. After the ceremonies are over, Filipinos devote the remainder of the day to recreation. There are games and athletic competitions, fireworks displays, and Independence Day balls. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: sininequity, iniquity - Inequity is "injustice, unfairness"; iniquity refers to "immorality, sin, wickedness." More... remission, remit - Remission originally meant forgiveness or pardon for an offense or sin, and remit meant "forgive, pardon." More... reprehensible - Usually applied to things, not people—the sin and not the sinner. More... | |