Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, September 23, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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deponent
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Identifying Auxiliary VerbsAuxiliary verbs are verbs that add functional meaning to other "main" verbs in a clause. Auxiliary verbs can be identified by two main criteria. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 What Lights the FireflyCommonly called fireflies or lightning bugs, the carnivorous beetles of the family Lampyridae are named for their use of bioluminescence when attracting mates or prey. Fireflies are capable of producing red, yellow, or green "cold light" containing no ultraviolet or infrared rays. Approximately 90% of the energy used in the process is converted to visible light—compared to 10% for incandescent electric bulbs, which emit the remainder of their energy as heat. How do fireflies produce their light? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Concordat of Worms (1122)The Concordat of Worms was an agreement reached by Pope Calixtus II and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V that put an end to the first phase of the power struggle between Rome and what was becoming the Holy Roman Empire. Under its terms, the king was recognized as having the right to invest bishops "by the lance" but not "by ring and staff," meaning he could grant them secular but not sacred authority. What message about the divine right of kings did the concordat convey? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mickey Rooney (1920)Rooney was an American actor who began his career when he was just 17 months old, as part of his family's vaudeville act, and made his film debut at 6. He went on to star in 50 RKO short comedies, and his diminutive size allowed him to play boys until he was nearly 30. From 1937, he played the cocky, energetic Andy Hardy in a series of popular films, often teamed with Judy Garland. In 1983, he received an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. What now-famous TV role did he turn down? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There are two sorts of beauty, one of the mind, the other of the body; that of the mind displays and exhibits itself in intelligence, in modesty, in honorable conduct, in generosity, in good breeding...and when it is this sort of beauty...that is the attraction, love is apt to spring up suddenly and violently.Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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control freak— Someone who has an obsessive or compulsive need to control every aspect of a situation and/or the ways in which others act. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Candy Dance Arts and Crafts Faire (2017)In 1919, the Candy Dance began in the town of Genoa, in northern Nevada, as a way to raise funds to install street lights. This soon became a popular event, attracting dancers from Reno and Carson City to join the fun. More than two tons of candy are now consumed during the dance weekend. In the 1970s, an arts and crafts fair was added to the two-day event. Activities for children include candle-making, face-painting, and tattoos. The Candy Dance Arts and Crafts Faire, as it is now officially known, provides a substantial part of Genoa's annual operating budget. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spendscabbage pounder - An inept golfer who spends a lot of time in the rough. More... carpet knight - A knight who spends his time in luxury and idleness—knighted on the carpet at court rather than on the field of battle. More... mouse potato - A person who spends too much time on the computer, patterned on couch potato. More... spendthrift - One who spends the "thrift" or earnings/wealth of another. More... | |