Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, September 29, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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polarity
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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AdjectivesAdjectives are used almost exclusively to modify nouns, as well as any phrase or part of speech functioning as a noun. Some adjectives appear directly before (or sometimes directly after) the noun or pronoun they modify. What are these called? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Pollywogs and ShellbacksOriginally created as a test to ensure new sailors were capable of handling long, rough stretches at sea, the "Crossing the Line" ceremony is an initiation rite used by many navies to commemorate a sailor's first crossing of the equator. Sailors who have already crossed the equator are nicknamed Shellbacks; those who have not are called Pollywogs. Many navies now have regulations to prevent hazing during the tradition, which often involves various physical tests. What is a Golden Shellback? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Is Excommunicated (1227)Prior to being excommunicated the first of several times, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II had planned to go on a crusade. However, an epidemic waylaid him and a large part of his army, delaying the conquest. As a result, he was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX. He eventually went on the postponed crusade and became king of Jerusalem. With Italy as the center of his power, Frederick, a religious skeptic, was in frequent conflict with the papacy. Frederick wrote the first book on what subject? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Pompey the Great (106 BCE)Pompey was a Roman general and the rival of Julius Caesar. Along with Caesar and Crassus, he was a member of the First Triumvirate established in 61 BCE. After the death of Pompey's wife, Caesar's daughter Julia, Pompey and Caesar became enemies. When Pompey received the sole consulship as the leader of the senatorial party, Caesar broke with the senate and crossed the Rubicon, and a civil war began. Pompey was defeated at Pharsalus and fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated while doing what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I can resist everything except temptation.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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me three— humorous An expression of concurrence, agreement, or willingness to participate in addition to others. Said after someone has said "me too" (i.e., "me as well"), thus creating a pun of "too" and "two." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Tura Michele Fair (2021)On St. Michael's Day in Augsburg, Bavaria, there is an annual fair that attracts visitors from all over Germany. One of the fair's chief attractions is the appearance of figures representing the Archangel Michael and the Devil that are built into the foundation of Perlach Turm, or Tower (called Tura in local dialect). Whenever the tower bell strikes on St. Michael's Day, the Archangel appears and stabs with his pointed spear at the Devil writhing at his feet. For over four centuries spectators have gathered around the Tura to watch the symbolic drama reenacted on St. Michael's Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: silent | |