Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, August 2, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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asthenopia
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Most as an "Intensifier"We often find the adverb "most" being used as an intensifier of other adverbs, especially in formal speech or writing. In these instances, "most" does not indicate a superlative adverb (i.e., in comparison to others in a group). How does it function instead? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 KrypteiaIn the Spartan tradition of Krypteia, young men who successfully completed their rigorous training regime were sent into the countryside unarmed and told to kill any members of Sparta's serf population, or "Helots," that they encountered at night and to take any food they needed. The tradition derives it name from a Greek word meaning "hidden, secret things," and its goal and nature are still a matter of debate among historians. What purposes do scholars believe Krypteia served? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Henry Hudson Discovers Hudson Bay (1610)After several failed attempts to find a northeast passage to Asia, Hudson, a veteran sea captain, sailed west and began probing N America to find a way through it by ship. In 1610, he discovered Hudson Bay but lingered too long and became trapped there by winter ice. When the weather warmed, Hudson wanted to continue exploring, but his starved and diseased crew refused. They mutinied and set Hudson, his son, and a few others adrift in a small boat without food or water. What happened to them? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Myrna Loy (1905)Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp, film actress Myrna Loy soon earned praise for her witty sophistication in 1934's The Thin Man. By 1936, she was a top box-office draw. Offscreen, she was never associated with Hollywood glamour or scandal. Instead, she was one of the few actors to protest against the House Committee on Un-American Activities during the McCarthy era. Her outspokenness on another issue resulted in her inclusion on what world leader's personal blacklist? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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all the difference in the world— The greatest degree of difference that is possible or conceivable. Without the verbs "mean" or "make," it is used to compare two disparate things. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Robin Hood Festival in Nottinghamshire (2020)The Robin Hood Festival takes place for one week in early August every year in Sherwood Forest, an ancient woodland in Nottinghamshire, England. The event celebrates the life and times of one of the most popular outlaws in the world: Robin Hood. Activities and entertainment include children's theater, strolling players, jesters, jousting, and music. There are demonstrations in such aged arts as falconry and long-bow-shooting, and a medieval market offers a variety of goods. As many as 75,000 visitors take part in the week's activities. It has taken place every year since 1975. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: productionarborization - The production of a treelike structure. More... Broca's area - An area of the brain involved with the production of speech; it was named after P. Paul Broca, a French surgeon. More... economic, economical - Economic means "pertaining to the production and use of income," and economical is "avoiding waste, being careful of resources." More... value-added tax - A tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production. More... | |