Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, June 17, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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infest
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Primary Auxiliary VerbsThe "primary" auxiliary verbs are "be," "have," and "do"—they occur most commonly in English. What is the emphatic "do"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Fossilized FootprintsKnown as ichnites or ichnolites, fossilized footprints or tracks of once-living organisms are studied by the branch of paleontology known as ichnology or ichnolithology. As well as providing information about foot structure and stride, ichnites provide important clues about the behavior of the animals that made them. For example, multiple ichnites of a single species found close together may suggest herd or pack behavior. What prehistoric creature is known exclusively by its footprints? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Last Public Execution in France (1939)Eugen Weidmann, a convicted thief, kidnapper, and murderer, was the last person to be publicly executed in France. After his arrest, Weidmann confessed to murdering five people and was sentenced to death. Shortly thereafter, he was beheaded by guillotine. The "hysterical behavior" of spectators at the event was so scandalous that French President Albert Lebrun immediately banned all future public executions. Executions by guillotine in France continued in private until what date? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Edward I of England, AKA Edward Longshanks (1239)Edward became king upon the death of his father, Henry III, in 1272 but was not crowned until he returned from a crusade two years later. His 35-year reign was characterized by constant warfare, including long and costly campaigns to conquer Wales and Scotland. It was a struggle to fund these endeavors, and he did so, in part, by exploiting the Jews under his rule. Finally, in 1290, he expelled them from England and seized their property. For how long did his Edict of Expulsion remain in effect? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 How easy it is for one benevolent being to diffuse pleasure around him; and how truly is a kind heart a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity to freshen into smiles!Washington Irving (1783-1859) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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there and back— Taking the distances to the end point and back to the beginning together as a single sum. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Iceland Independence Day (2022)Iceland was proclaimed an independent republic on June 17, 1944. Sometimes referred to as National Day, the anniversary of this event is also the birthday of Jón Sigurdsson, the nation's 19th-century leader. A varied program of parades, speeches, sporting competitions, amusements, and outdoor concerts and shows culminates in the evening with dancing in the streets of Reykjavik and other towns. Another National Day was December 1, the anniversary of the 1918 treaty recognizing Iceland as an independent state under the Danish crown. This is now largely a student celebration. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: thiefjilt - A female accomplice to a thief. More... furtive - Someone who is furtive literally "carries things away like a thief." More... ferret - Its name comes from Latin furritus, "little thief"—alluding to the animal's affinity for stealing hens' eggs. More... thief - Has the underlying meaning of "crouching, furtive person." More... | |