Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, September 22, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dovecote
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Adverbial NounsAdverbial nouns are nouns or noun phrases that function grammatically as adverbs to modify verbs and certain adjectives. What are adverbial nouns sometimes called? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The HuaoraniKnown pejoratively as "Aucas," meaning "naked ones" or "savages," the Huaorani are an indigenous people of the Ecuadorian Oriente in the Amazon basin. With a population of approximately 2,000, the Huaorani speak Huao Terero, a language unrelated to any other known living language. Several Huaorani communities have rejected all contact with outsiders and move often to progressively more isolated areas. During the mid-20th c, what led them to become one of the most violent cultures ever known? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Shaka Zulu Is Assassinated (1828)A skilled warrior, Shaka established himself as head of the Zulu circa 1816 and soon made them the dominant power in southeastern Africa. He was ruthless before his mother's death in 1827, but after, he became positively savage. He had at least 7,000 people executed for being insufficiently grief-stricken, put to death any couple found to have conceived during the mourning period, and even slaughtered cows so that their calves would know the loss of a mother. Who ultimately assassinated Shaka? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Anne of Austria, Queen of France (1601)Neglected by her husband, French King Louis XIII, Anne of Austria stirred up controversy with flirtatious indiscretions. After her seemingly treasonous correspondence with Spain, her husband's principal minister, Cardinal Richelieu, attempted to limit her influence. When Louis died, Anne was declared sole regent of their son, Louis XIV—contrary to her husband's wishes—and strove to ensure his absolute power. What did she do that was hailed at the time as "a marvel when it was least expected"? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 One cannot fix one's eyes on the commonest natural production without finding food for a rambling fancy.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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march to (the beat of) a different drum— To do something, act, or behave in a manner that does not conform to the standard, prevalent, or popular societal norm. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Bulgaria Independence Day (2021)On September 22, 1908, Prince Ferdinand (1861-1948) of Bulgaria declared the country's independence from the Turkish Ottoman Empire, which had ruled since the 14th century. In 1944, the former Soviet Union invaded Bulgaria and imposed its communist system for nearly 50 years. Like many other eastern European countries, Bulgaria became an independent republic with a new constitution in 1991. In 1998, the Bulgarian Parliament reinstituted September 22 as Bulgarian Independence Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: standscircumstance - Literally "that which stands around (something)." More... cost - Something that costs a particular amount literally "stands at or with" that price, from Latin constare, "to be settled or fixed, stand at a price, cost." More... stem - The stem of a tree is etymologically the upright part, the part that "stands" up, from its Germanic base sta-, "stand." More... wing it - Comes from theatrical jargon, referring to the hurried study of lines by an understudy in the wings, or to the help given by a prompter who stands in the wings of a theater. More... | |