Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, November 15, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dramatist
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Transitive and Intransitive VerbsTransitive verbs take one or more objects in a sentence, while intransitive verbs take no objects in a sentence. What is a direct object? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Head and Shoulders Above the CrowdIn the Spanish region of Catalonia, one tradition stands above all others: the building of castells—human towers. Traditionally built during festivals, these multi-tiered structures can contain as many as 10 levels, each composed of people linked together in a circle. This dangerous activity requires teamwork and planning. A tower is only considered complete once the final casteller has climbed to the top and extended one hand with four fingers raised in a gesture symbolizing what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Brazil Becomes a Republic (1889)In 1889, discontented Brazilian militarists staged a coup and exiled Emperor Pedro II. Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, leader of the revolutionaries, led the provisional government that established the republic and became president. Although Brazil was flourishing financially thanks to coffee and wild rubber exports, its political situation remained uneasy. Faced with growing opposition, Fonseca dissolved Congress in 1891 and was forced to resign. What was Brazil's official name during this period? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Erwin Rommel (1891)After nearly three decades in the German army, Rommel, who would become a famous WWII field marshal, was promoted by Hitler to the rank of general in 1939. The next year, he brilliantly commanded a panzer division in the attack on France. He then led the Afrika Korps against the Allies in N Africa, where he became known as the "Desert Fox" for his audacious surprise attacks. Allied success led Rommel to lose respect for Hitler and join a plot to remove the führer from office. How did Rommel die? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Having learned the trick of beating and loving and suffering, the poor faithful heart persisted, although it lived on memories and carried on its sentimental operations mostly in secret.Kate Wiggin (1856-1923) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have no time for (someone or something)— To have no respect for, interest in, or approval of someone or something and thus have no desire to be involved with him, her, or it. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Shichi-Go-San (2023)Shichi-Go-San is an ancient Japanese celebration that marks the special ages of seven, five, and three. It has long been traditional for families to take girls aged seven, boys of five, and all three-year-olds to the neighborhood Shinto shrine. There they are purified, and the priest prays for their healthy growth. Afterwards, there are often parties for the children, and they are given a special pink hard candy, called "thousand-year candy," to symbolize hopes for a long life. Because Nov. 15 is not a legal holiday, families now observe the ceremony on the Sunday nearest that date. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: laylay - As in layperson, it derives from Greek laikos, "of the people"—as opposed to clerics. More... nest egg - Poultry farmers formerly placed a porcelain or other fake egg in a hen's nest to encourage it to lay more eggs—from this came nest egg, money saved to encourage the making of more. More... lay, lie - To lay is to place something; to lie is to recline. More... | |