Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, February 7, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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madcap
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming Irregular PluralsThere are some nouns that are irregular and do not adhere to spelling rules. "Child" is an irregular plural noun. Can you name any others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Parietal EyesLizards, frogs, lampreys, and some fish species possess a unique organ known as a third, or parietal, eye. Though referred to as an "eye," this photoreceptive organ does not "see" in the same way that a standard eye does. Instead, it uses a different biochemical method of detecting light than normal eyes and helps regulate circadian rhythms and hormone production for thermoregulation. The parietal eye is associated with what gland that humans, too, possess? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Cripple Creek Miners' Strike (1894)In 1891, gold was discovered on a cattle ranch in Cripple Creek, Colorado, creating one of the richest camps of a major gold-producing area. Two years later, the Western Federation of Miners (WFM) was established by the merger of several local miners' unions in the Rocky Mountain states. In 1894, the WFM led a five-month strike in Cripple Creek, resulting in a victory for the miners. The strike began when mine owners attempted to lengthen the work day—with no increase in pay—to how many hours? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Charles Dickens (1812)When Dickens was a boy, his father was placed in debtors' prison. As a result, he was withdrawn from school and forced to work in a factory—an experience that deeply influenced his future writings. Now regarded as one of the world's most popular, prolific, and skilled novelists, Dickens began his literary career as a reporter, developing an encyclopedic knowledge of London and the ability to vividly describe people and everyday life. How long did it take him to write A Christmas Carol? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Family likeness has often a deep sadness in it. Nature, that great tragic dramatist, knits us together by bone and muscle, and divides us by the subtler web of our brains; blends yearning and repulsion; and ties us by our heart-strings to the beings that jar us at every movement.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be like herding cats— To be very unwieldy or unmanageable; to be nearly impossible to organize. Usually said of a group of people. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Grenada Independence Day (2024)This is a national holiday commemorating Grenada's independence from Britain on this day in 1974. Britain had held the island since the 18th century, when France ceded it under the Treaty of Paris. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: vanillahard sauce - Contains butter and sugar, with brandy, rum, or vanilla. More... oak - In the flavor of wines, it comes from oak cases and is similar to coconut or vanilla. More... vanilla - Can mean "having no special features." More... white chocolate - A blend of cocoa butter, milk solids and sugar and vanilla, it used in candy bars and baking and coatings; it is not technically chocolate because it contains no chocolate liqueur. More... | |