Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, September 19, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chasten
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining the EllipsisAn ellipsis is a series of three consecutive periods known as "ellipsis points" ( . . . ). What is the ellipsis used to indicate? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Green FlashA green flash is a refractive phenomenon in which the top edge of the setting—or, less frequently, rising—sun momentarily turns emerald green. It is usually seen over a low distant horizon, such as that of the ocean or a prairie, when the sky is clear. It occurs primarily because the atmosphere acts like a weak prism, refracting sunlight and separating it into different colors. The green color lasts from a fraction of a second to two seconds. What is a green rim and when can it be observed? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Bruno Hauptmann Arrested for Murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. (1934)In one of America's most notorious crimes, the infant son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh was kidnapped in 1932. Although a ransom of $50,000 for his release was paid, the child's body was found murdered. Two years later, Hauptmann was found with part of the ransom. In a sensational trial, he was convicted of murder. Hauptmann maintained his innocence to the last, and although temporarily reprieved, he was executed in 1936. Why do some doubt his guilt? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 "Mama" Cass Elliot (1941)Elliot was an American singer and member of the vocal group The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she had a successful solo career, releasing several studio albums. In 1974, after a series of performances at the London Palladium, Elliot was found dead in an apartment loaned to her by singer Harry Nilsson—the same apartment where drummer Keith Moon died four years later. Although Elliot died from a heart attack, an often repeated urban myth states that she died by choking on what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 As to people saying a few idle words about us, we must not mind that, any more than the old church-steeple minds the rooks cawing about it.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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now (that) you mention it— An expression used when one remembers or realizes something because of what the other person has just said. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Fiestas Patrias (2019)Fiestas Patrias is the national two-day holiday in Chile celebrating Independence Day, September 18, and Army Day, September 19. In the days preceding the holiday, fondas (fairs) pop up throughout Chile, and it is a popular time for Chilean rodeo. Huasos (cowboys) compete against one another by attempting to pin a calf against the wall of the medialuna, or arena, with their horse, and are awarded points based on which part of the horse is touching the calf. Because September marks the beginning of spring in Chile, Fiestas Patrias is also a popular occasion for kite flying. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spongeloofah - Not a sponge but a dried tropical fruit used as a sponge. More... sponge bath - An all-over washing of the body with a sponge or washcloth instead of taking a bath or shower. More... bibulous - First meant "absorbent, like a sponge," and later figuratively meant "addicted to alcohol." More... sponge - From Latin spongia, and Greek sphoggos, "water growth." More... | |