Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, November 30, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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cirque
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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SpeechGrammatical speech refers to how we report something another person said. Depending on how we do this, we sometimes have to inflect the verbs that we use. Speech is usually divided between what two types? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Climate of AntarcticaAbout 200 million years ago, Antarctica was joined to South America, Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand in a single, warm continent called Gondwana. According to the plate tectonics theory, Antarctica split from Gondwana and drifted to its present location at the South Pole. Persistent westerly winds began to circle Antarctica, blocking heat transport to the continent and making it the coldest region on Earth. When was the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth reported? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Steam Locomotive Flying Scotsman Sets Speed Record (1934)The legendary no. 4472 Flying Scotsman steam locomotive was built by the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923 for use as a long-distance express train. The no. 4472 holds a number of records, including being the first locomotive to complete a nonstop run from London, England, to Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1934, the Flying Scotsman became the first steam locomotive to be officially recorded at 100 mph (160.9 km/h). What distance record did the train set in 1989? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mark Twain (1835)Twain was an American author who, as a humorist, narrator, and social observer, is unsurpassed in American literature. Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Twain grew up in a port town on the Mississippi River and eventually became a river pilot. He first won fame with the comic masterpiece "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." His 1885 novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been called the first modern American novel. According to Twain, how did he acquire his pen name? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I think the first duty of society is justice.Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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head the ball— A stupid, foolish, or idiotic person; someone who is crazy or mentally unstable. Primarily heard in Ireland. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Andrew's Day (2023)St. Andrew, the brother of St. Peter, was the first apostle called by Jesus, but he is primarily known today as the patron saint of Scotland. St. Andrew's association with Scotland didn't come about until four centuries after his death, when some of his relics were brought there. Scots continue the custom of wearing a "St. Andrew's cross" on November 30, which consists of blue and white ribbons shaped like the letter X. The tradition for this form of a cross began no earlier than the 13th century. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: mountainsmassif - A compact group of mountains or a mountain range section; it first meant "building block" and the word massive is derived from that. More... Idaho - Shoshone for "light on mountains." More... orogenesis, orogeny - Orogenesis is the formation of mountains (Greek oros) and orogeny is the process by which mountains are formed. More... ultramontane - Means "beyond the mountains." More... | |