Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, September 3, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)When we tell other people what someone else told us, it is called indirect speech or reported speech. We use reporting verbs to introduce the information that was spoken previously. What are the most common reporting verbs? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Mother-of-PearlNacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the iridescent substance that forms the shell lining of some fresh-water and salt-water mollusks. Just like the pearl, it is a mantle tissue secretion and is composed of alternating layers of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. It serves to both smooth the shell and defend it against parasitic organisms and damaging debris. Its iridescent beauty makes it a popular ornamentation in jewelry, watches and guitar inlays. What other decorative uses does it have? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Anne Frank and Family Deported to Auschwitz (1944)Thanks to the poignant and insightful diary she left behind, Anne Frank is one of the most renowned and discussed victims of the Holocaust. Her family emigrated to Amsterdam in 1933 to escape the Nazis but was forced into hiding after the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. Betrayed to the Germans in 1944, the Franks were soon sent to Auschwitz, where they were separated by gender. Later, Anne and her sister were moved to Bergen-Belsen, where both died. Did any members of the Frank family survive? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Marguerite Higgins (1920)An American journalist, Higgins covered major world events, including the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp and the Nuremberg Trials, and was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize. While reporting on the Korean War, she was expelled from Korea by US General Walton Walker—who said the military had no time to prepare accommodations for women—but when she appealed to General Douglas MacArthur, the ban was lifted. Higgins's life was cut short by a disease contracted while covering what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 "I could tell you my adventures—beginning from this morning," said Alice a little timidly: "but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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make like a banana and split— humorous slang To depart or leave, especially at once or in a hurry. (A pun on "to split," a slang term meaning to leave or depart, and a "banana split," an ice-cream-based dessert featuring a banana halved lengthwise.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Taiwan Armed Forces Day (2021)Founded in 1955, Armed Forces Day in Taiwan honors the country's military and celebrates their victory over the Japanese in World War II (called the War of Resistance in Taiwan). The day is marked by military parades featuring special units chosen for their precision and outstanding performance. A troop-cheering by the onlookers is part of the celebration, as are educational activities covering the history of the war period and the role of the Taiwanese military in defeating the enemy. The day is also marked by the members of the armed forces having a rare day off from work. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spinningheckle - First a "flax comb" for splitting and straightening the fibers for spinning; its metaphorical sense developed from its verb form, "to mangle by cutting, to cut roughly." More... distaff side, spear side - The female side of a family is the distaff side—the distaff being a stick used for holding yarn when spinning; the male side is the spear side. More... fouette - A spectacular pirouette in which the ballerina whips her raised leg around in an eggbeater motion while spinning on the other leg. More... | |