Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, June 3, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Past Continuous TenseAlso called the past progressive, the past continuous tense is used to describe something that was in progress at a certain moment in the past. Why is it called the past continuous? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Unusual Deaths throughout HistoryThroughout history, myriad unfortunate individuals have suffered unusual deaths in all manner of bizarre circumstances. In 458 BCE, Greek playwright Aeschylus was allegedly killed when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head. In 1771, Swedish King Adolf Frederick reportedly "ate himself to death." Distinguished as the only jockey to posthumously win a race, Frank Hayes died astride his horse before being carried over the finish line in 1923. What are some other bizarre deaths? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Eschede Train Disaster (1998)On the morning of June 3, 1998, the Munich-Hamburg Inner City Express train derailed near the village of Eschede, Germany, while traveling at 124 mph (200 km/h). One of the train cars hit a bridge, causing it to collapse. The cars behind jackknifed into the wreckage, while the front part of the train detached, coming to a stop well past the Eschede station. More than 100 people died as a result of the crash. Investigators later determined that the crash had been caused by what single problem? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Reverend John Hale (1636)Hale was a church pastor in nearby Beverly, Massachusetts, during the Salem witch trials in the late 17th century. Initially, Hale supported the prosecutions of the alleged witches. Once his second wife was accused of witchcraft, however, he had a change of heart, denouncing the practice of witch hunts in his book A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft. A fictional portrayal of Hale appears in Arthur Miller's famed play The Crucible. What happened to Hale's wife? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Too often we...enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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on the leading edge— Having or knowledgeable of the most advanced technology in a given area, activity, or endeavor. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Kazanlak Rose Festival (2021)Bulgaria supplies 90 percent of the world's rose attar, and roses are raised for food and medicinal purposes as well. The 10-day festival that celebrates Bulgaria's cultivation and export of roses is held in Kazanlak, a small town in what is known as the Valley of the Roses. It begins with a procession of farmers and young people dressed in native costume and carrying baskets for the ritual picking of the rose petals. Rose-decorated floats, costumed paraders, and folk dancers follow a route through all the nearby towns. Folk dance and song programs complete the festival activities. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: reducediminish - A blend of diminue, "speak disparagingly," and minish, "reduce in amount, degree, influence, power." More... formulate - Can mean "reduce to a formula." More... moderate - Etymologically, it means "keep within due measure," and is derived from Latin moderari or moderare, "control, reduce." More... minimize - Means to reduce to an absolute minimum—not to play down or soften. More... | |