Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, October 31, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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SemicolonsSemicolons ( ; ) are used for two main purposes: to separate lengthy or complex items within a list and to connect independent clauses. What type of conjunction is almost always paired with a semicolon? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 OnsenA volcanically active country, Japan is home to thousands of geothermally heated hot springs called onsen. Traditionally used as public bathing places, onsen now play a central role in domestic tourism and are often enjoyed by those who want to escape the hectic life of the city, relax, and benefit from the healing powers believed to be derived from the water's mineral content. When discussing onsen, the Japanese often cite the virtues of "naked communion," which refers to what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Enron CFO Andrew Fastow Indicted for Fraud (2002)In 2000, natural gas and electricity trading giant Enron was the seventh largest corporation in the US. In 2001, it became the largest bankruptcy and stock collapse in US history at the time, devastating the pensions of some 20,000 employees. Fastow, Enron's chief financial officer, was one of more than 20 people who were ultimately convicted of or pleaded guilty to fraud, conspiracy, and other crimes related to deceptive accounting practices. How long is Fastow's prison sentence? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Keats (1795)Considered one of the greatest English poets, Keats worked as a surgeon's apprentice before devoting himself entirely to poetry at age 21. During a few intense months in 1819, he produced many of his greatest works, including "Ode on a Grecian Urn," "Ode to a Nightingale," and "To Autumn." His Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems is perhaps the greatest single volume of poetry published in England in the 19th century. Tragically, Keats died at just 25 from what disease? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I pay very little regard...to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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golden years— The years following one's retirement (generally after the age of 65). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Halloween (United States) (2023)Halloween has its ultimate origins in the ancient Celtic harvest festival Samhain, a time when people believed that the spirits of the dead roamed the earth. Children go from house to house in costume—often dressed as ghosts, skeletons, or vampires—on Halloween saying, "Trick or treat!" Though for the most part the threat is in jest, the "trick" part if they don't receive a treat may include marking the house's windows with a bar of soap or throwing eggs at it. Most receive treats in the form of candy or money. Halloween parties and parades are popular with adults as well. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: triflebagatelle - From French or Italian for "trick" or "trifle." More... burlesque - From French, which got it from Italian burlesco, a derivative of burla, "joke, fun"—which may have come from Latin burra, "trifle." More... trifle - In the sense of the dessert, it gets its name from being a "light" confection. More... trifle - From French truffle/truffe, "deceit, trickery." More... | |