Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, January 17, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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specious
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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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.jpg) Amanita muscariaAmanita muscaria is a psychoactive species of mushroom found throughout the world. The quintessential toadstool, it can be recognized by its bright red cap and white spots, which have made it a fixture in pop culture media such as the Super Mario Bros. series. Famed for its hallucinogenic properties, it is sometimes used in religious rituals but is generally considered poisonous and can act as an insecticide. How is Amanita muscaria related to Santa Claus and his flying reindeer? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Captain James Cook Crosses Antarctic Circle (1773)An explorer, navigator, and map maker, Cook sailed the Pacific Ocean between 1768 and 1779 and, with the help of new timekeeping instruments, drew the first accurate navigational maps of the area. He became the one of the first people to cross the Antarctic Circle as well as the first European to land on the Hawaiian islands, where he may have been identified by native Hawaiians as the representation of their god Lono. How did this misunderstanding contribute to his death? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Benjamin Franklin (1706)Regarded as one of the most extraordinary public servants in American history, Franklin was also a printer, publisher, author, scientist, and inventor. After gaining popularity as the publisher of Poor Richard's Almanack, he promoted public services in Philadelphia, including a library and a fire department. In 1776, he went to France to seek aid for the American Revolution, and in 1787 he was instrumental in the adoption of the US Constitution. What musical instrument did he invent? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Every limit is a beginning as well as an ending.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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hunt where the ducks are— To pursue or look for one's objectives, results, or goals in the place where one is most likely to find them. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot (2024)St. Anthony the Abbot was one of the earliest saints, and, if St. Athanasius's biography of him is correct, Anthony lived more than 100 years (251–356). He eventually came to be regarded as a healer of animals as well as of people. His feast day is celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America by bringing household pets and livestock into the churchyard, where the local priest blesses them with holy water. All the animals are carefully groomed and often decorated with ribbons and fresh flowers. In some Latin American cities, the Blessing of the Animals takes place on a different day—often on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spidercobweb - A single thread spun by a spider. More... arain - Another word for spider. More... lobster - Comes from Old English loppestre, "spider," because there is some resemblance. More... insect, spider, crustacean - One major difference between insects, spiders, and crustaceans is the antennae; most insects have one pair, spiders have none, and crustaceans have two pairs. More... | |