Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, September 16, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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greenhorn
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Third-Person PronounsThird person is used to talk about someone or something that is not the speaker and is not being directly addressed. Third person is most widely used in what type of writing? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Alfred JewelThe Alfred Jewel is a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon ornament made during the reign of King Alfred the Great. Discovered in 1693, the teardrop-shaped ornament consists of a colorful enamel image of a man covered with a clear, polished piece of crystal and set in gold. Its purpose is unknown, but it was probably attached to a rod at one time. Words around the edge read "AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN"—meaning "Alfred ordered me made"—yet the man portrayed in the center of the object is not Alfred. Who is it? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Montreal Protocol Signed to Protect the Ozone Layer (1987)The Montreal Protocol was enacted in response to the discovery that the ozone layer—which shields life on Earth from harmful radiation—was diminishing. Signed by the majority of the world's nations, the treaty mandates the decreased use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and has been amended several times based on new scientific data. By 1993, CFC production had dropped dramatically. If the agreement is followed, the ozone layer is expected to recover by what year? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 B.B. King (1925)A singer and guitarist born into a sharecropping family in the Mississippi Delta region of the US, King began playing guitar at 12. He worked as a radio DJ in Memphis before coming to prominence as a guitarist in 1952. He has toured widely, averaging over 300 shows a year for nearly 30 years. King famously named his guitar Lucille after a woman who inspired a fight at one of his concerts that ended with the venue burning down. King's first name is Riley. What does B.B. stand for? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Exuberance is better than taste.Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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not have all day— To be in a rush; to not have much or any time to spare. Usually used in the present tense. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Papua New Guinea Independence Day (2020)This national holiday celebrates Papua New Guinea's independence on this day in 1975. In the late 19th century, Germany laid claim to the northeastern section of the island, while Britain ruled the southeastern section. Britain left its section to Australia in 1902, which eventually administered the whole area until independence, though it is still part of the British Commonwealth. In 2000, Papua New Guinea celebrated its silver (25th) anniversary of independence with a flag-raising ceremony, a parade, and musical and dance performances in the capital city, Port Moresby. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: perfectA-OK - Astronauts on the Mercury Project in 1961 popularized A-OK, meaning "excellent, perfect"; it was coined by blending the adjective "A," as in A-one or A1, meaning "first-class," with "OK." More... palinoia - The compulsive repetition of an act until it is perfect. More... parfait - Literally French for "perfect." More... perfect binding - A book bound by gluing instead of sewing. More... | |