Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, March 8, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Conditional SentencesConditional sentences are in the conditional mood (a sub-category of the subjunctive mood), which is used for hypothetical scenarios that are dependent on a certain condition or conditions. What word is usually used in constructing a conditional sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Hidden Art of SteganographySteganography is the practice of hiding secret messages in seemingly innocuous documents such as pictures, articles, or shopping lists. The practice dates to the 5th c BCE, when early practitioners concealed information under the wax of wooden writing tablets or on the tattooed scalps of slaves. As technology evolved, so did steganography; and today, information is often hidden in computer files. Which terrorist group has been accused of using steganography to transmit secrets over the Internet? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 US President Ronald Reagan Dubs the USSR an "Evil Empire" (1983)Reagan's strong anti-communist position, evident from the time he began his presidential career, was highlighted in a 1983 speech in which he referred to the USSR as an "evil empire." The phrase became common in Cold War rhetoric and has since entered popular culture, taking on a nearly iconic status. It has been used in a variety of contexts to refer to entities as varied as Wal-Mart and the British Empire. Before what group was Reagan speaking the first time he used the phrase "evil empire"? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 André Michaux (1746)Michaux was a French botanist who traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, and North America. In 1785, the French government sent him to the US to spearhead the first organized investigation of North American plants that could be of use in France. His botanical journeys through the US lasted until 1796, and he recorded his studies in two books on North American botany—one of which is devoted to oaks. He also traveled to the Middle East, where he acquired what Babylonian artifact found near Baghdad? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I always advise people never to give advice.P. G. Wodehouse (1881-1975) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(one) figures (that)— One presumes or anticipates (that); one reckons or thinks (that). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Fiesta of San Juan de Dios (2024)San Juan de Dios (St. John of God) was born in Portugal in 1495. A religious order, the Brothers Hospitallers, was founded in his honor, and thereafter he was known as John of God and the patron saint of hospitals. In Puno, Peru, San Juan de Dios is celebrated with a two-day fiesta. On March 7, llamas bring in wood for bonfires in a parade with flute and drum music, and in the evening bonfires blaze. The next day, his feast day, a procession takes the saint's image through the streets of Puno, and dancers and musicians create a festive atmosphere around the church. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: science fictiondroid - A robot in science fiction, it is a shortening of android. More... death ray - Was a staple of (pulp) science fiction in the mid-20th century. More... time warp - A concept that arose in the 1950s and originally applied to science fiction. More... warp speed - Alludes to the use in science fiction, especially the speed used for interstellar travel in the science fiction television series Star Trek. More... | |