Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, January 20, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dustup
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Present Perfect TenseThe present perfect tense is formed by using a form of the auxiliary verb "have" along with the past participle of the "main" verb. If something is described using the present perfect, at what point in time did it happen? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Cat's-Whisker DetectorBefore the advent of vacuum tubes and transistor technology, early radio devices received signals with the help of the cat's whisker detector. An early and somewhat unstable electronic component, the detector was an integral part of the crystal radio sets that came into use in the early 1900s. Though obsolete today, the detectors are still manufactured for antique radio hobbyists. The device consists of a thin wire that lightly touches a crystal of a natural semiconducting mineral such as what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Edward VIII Becomes King (1936)Edward VIII became king of Great Britain and Ireland upon the death of his father, George V, in 1936. He enjoyed immense popularity until the announcement of his intention to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American in the midst of divorcing her second husband. The government opposed the marriage, and the two sides clashed until Edward executed a deed of abdication, ending a 325-day reign as the first English monarch to relinquish his throne voluntarily. Who succeeded him? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 George Burns (1896)Often remembered as a cigar-puffing nightclub entertainer who continued performing into his late 90s, Burns began his career by forming a comedy team in 1925 with Gracie Allen, whom he married a year later. They performed on radio and television, usually with Allen playing a scatterbrained wife and Burns in the role of an infinitely patient husband. Burns continued to perform after his wife's retirement, winning an Academy Award and becoming well-known for his recurring film role as what figure? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I have made a plan for my life, as I am in my teens, and no more a child.Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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out of steam— Completely exhausted, fatigued, or without energy or motivation. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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_1978%2c_minr_2293.jpg) Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde National Heroes' Day (2024)Citizens of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde have great reverence for Amílcar Cabral (1921–1973), a nationalist leader who was assassinated before he could see his native Guinea-Bissau and nearby Cape Verde achieve independence from Portugal. The two countries settled on January 20 as their National Heroes' Day because it falls on the anniversary of Cabral's murder. A public holiday, National Heroes' Day commemorates the legacies of Cabral and other freedom fighters. Leftist associations have observed the day by holding symposiums on the writings and political theories of Cabral. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: inquiryquery, inquiry, enquiry - A query is a single question; an inquiry (or enquiry) may be a single question or extensive investigation (i.e. a series of questions). More... inquirendo, percontation - An inquirendo or percontation is an investigation or inquiry. More... prosecute - First meant "to follow up or pursue an inquiry or studies" or "to pursue to the end." More... zetetic - As an adjective, it means "inquiring, investigating" and "proceeding by inquiry or investigation," or, as a noun, "inquirer." More... | |