Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, July 23, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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scathing
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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VerbsVerbs are used to indicate the actions, processes, conditions, or states of beings of people or things. Verbs constitute the root of the predicate. What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Jade Burial SuitsConsidered a mere myth by archaeologists for years, the use of jade burial suits among wealthy Han Dynasty nobles was proved in 1968 with the discovery of two complete suits in tombs in China's northern province of Hebei. Belonging to Chinese prince Liu Sheng and his wife Dou Wan, the ceremonial burial suits were constructed using 2,498 plates of solid jade and 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) of gold wire. Experts now believe the practice was fairly common. What other wire materials were used? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The "Gimli Glider": Air Canada Flight Runs Out of Fuel Mid-Flight (1983)The "Gimli Glider" is the nickname given to Air Canada Flight 143, which ran out of fuel on a routine flight from Montreal to Edmonton in 1983. The crew was able to glide the aircraft safely to an emergency landing at a retired airstrip in Gimli, Manitoba, even through part of the runway had been converted into a racetrack and a large event was being held there at the time. Amazingly, no passengers or bystanders suffered any serious injuries. Why did the plane run out of fuel? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Babcock (1900)Prior to his death in 2010, at age 109, Babcock was Canada's last known surviving veteran of World War I. He joined the army at 15 by lying about his age. When he was discovered to be too young for combat, he was given labor jobs and was later transferred to England, where he continued his training in the Young Soldiers Battalion. Because he never actually fought on the front lines, he was uncomfortable with his fame as a veteran. At what age did Babcock finally earn his high school diploma? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 When you are young you take the kindness people show you as your right.W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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loose talk— Uninhibited, indiscreet talk or conversation, especially as might unintentionally lead to revealing private or sensitive information to others. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Haile Selassie's Birthday (2021)Haile Selassie I (1892-1975), emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974, was born Tafari Makonnen; he became Prince (or Ras) Tafari in 1916. Among the Jamaicans known as Rastafarians, Selassie was believed to be the Messiah, and Ethiopia was identified with heaven. Ethiopians still celebrate Haile Selassie's birthday. During the years of his reign as emperor, Selassie would stand on the balcony of his palace in Addis Ababa and greet the thousands of well-wishers who gathered there on his birthday. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: seasoningaioli - French for ai, "garlic," and oli, "oil"—mayonnaise seasoned with garlic. More... drawn butter - Melted, clarified, and seasoned. More... herbes de Provence - A blend of herbs used for seasoning, such as basil, bay leaf, chervil, fennel, lavender, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, summer savory, tarragon, and thyme. More... herb, spice, seasoning - Herbs are, technically, plants with aerial parts used for seasoning foods, and a spice (also called seasoning) is any substance used for seasoning foods; many herbs are used as spices, but not all. More... | |