Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, July 2, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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oracular
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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SentencesA sentence, whether short or long, must express a complete idea; and a complete sentence must consist of at least one independent clause. What is a simple sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 DurianWidely revered in its native Southeast Asia as the "King of Fruits," the durian is distinctive for its large size, thorny husk, and unique odor. Although durians contain an edible, custard-like pulp and have seed coverings that taste like a combination of banana, caramel, and vanilla, their unusual smell is very strong and penetrating. The odor has prompted many people to search for an accurate description, with widely divergent results. To what odors has the durian's smell been compared? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Suicidal Monk Sets Fire to Kyoto's Temple of the Golden Pavilion (1950)Originally a statesman's villa, Kyoto's Temple of the Golden Pavilion has an exterior of gold leaf and is situated on a pond in a lush Japanese garden. The building narrowly avoided destruction many times in its long history, but in 1950, a young Buddhist monk set fire to it during a suicide attempt. He survived and was sentenced to seven years in prison. In 1955, the temple was rebuilt true to its original appearance. That same year, the arsonist was released from prison early for what reason? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Patrice Lumumba (1925)Lumumba was an African nationalist leader and the first elected prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo after it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. The early years of independence were tumultuous, and Lumumba held his position for just weeks before being deposed. He was later executed by firing squad. His death was not officially announced for three weeks, and rumors swirled about US and Belgian involvement. Who had plotted earlier to kill Lumumba with poisoned toothpaste? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Silence gives the proper grace to women.Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the short and the long of it— The essential or most important point being made; the plain truth of the matter. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Bahia Independence Day (2021)The consolidation of Brazilian independence in the state of Bahia is remembered each year with a procession following the path that the Brazilians took when they defeated Portuguese troops there in 1823. Folkloric characters like the caboclo, who symbolizes the superiority of native strength over the colonizers, have worked their way into this primarily civic celebration. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: slopeescarpment, scarp, palisade(s) - A cliff formation or line of cliffs can be called an escarpment, scarp (from Italian scarpa, "slope"), or palisade(s). More... scree - A mass of small loose stones that form or cover a slope on a mountain. More... katabatic - Skiing is a katabatic sport—moving down a slope or valley. More... | |