Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, December 1, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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PrepositionsPrepositions are used to express the relationship of a noun or pronoun (or another grammatical element functioning as a noun) to the rest of the sentence. How do prepositions differ from infinitives? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Floyd Collins and the Crystal CaveCollins was a caver noted for discovering Kentucky's Crystal Cave in 1917. Eight years later, while searching for a new entrance to a popular cave system, he became trapped underground. He died after about two weeks, just days before a rescue shaft reached his location. The rescue quickly became the third biggest media event of the period, the first and second being Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight and his son's kidnapping. Coincidently, Lindbergh played a role in the rescue, doing what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Our Lady of the Angels School Fire (1958)Shortly before classes were dismissed on December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at the foot of a stairway in the Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, Illinois. A total of 92 students and 3 nuns died and another 100 were seriously injured when smoke, heat, and fire cut off their normal means of escape. Many perished jumping from second-floor windows. The tragedy dominated headlines and led to nationwide changes to school fire safety regulations. How is the fire thought to have started? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mary Virginia Martin (1913)Martin was an American musical comedy star. She co-owned a dance school in her native Texas before moving in 1938 to New York City, where she earned a small part in the musical Leave It To Me, winning widespread popularity with her buoyant singing voice and high-spirited temperament. She went on to star in several enormously successful musicals, including South Pacific, Peter Pan, and The Sound of Music, as well as a number of films. Who is Martin's famous son? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change.Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(one's) heart's desire— Something one very much wants or needs. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Portugal Restoration of Independence Day (2023)This public holiday commemorates the restoration of Portugal's independence from Spain on December 1, 1640. Philip II (1527-1598) of Spain assumed control of Portugal in 1580 upon the death of Henry, prince of Portugal, and the "Spanish captivity" lasted for 60 years. Revolution began in Lisbon, and, in 1640, the Portuguese dethroned Philip IV (1605-1665; grandson of Philip II) and reclaimed independence for Portugal. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: pancasserole - Came from casse, "pan" or "ladle," which probably comes from Greek kuathos, "serving cup"; casserole is a diminutive of casse, "spoonlike container" (cassette is also a diminutive of casse). More... paella - The rice dish is Spanish for "frying pan," from Latin patella, "little pan." More... pan, brain pan - The upper part of the skull has been called the pan or brain pan. More... | |