Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, September 8, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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abridgment
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Personal Pronouns - Reflexive PronounsReflexive pronouns are used when someone or something is both the subject and the object of the same verb—i.e., when both performing and receiving the action. What are the nine reflexive pronouns? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Piazza San MarcoSt. Mark's Square, or Piazza San Marco, is Venice's principal plaza. Originating in the 9th c as a small area in front of St. Mark's Basilica, the Piazza was enlarged to its present shape and size in 1177. As Venice's central gathering place, it is extremely popular with tourists, pigeons, and photographers. The Piazza is surrounded by a number of historic structures, including the Doge's Palace, Procuraties, and Biblioteca Marciana. What was the purpose of the paved pattern on the Piazza floor? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Honda Point Disaster (1923)The Honda Point Disaster was the largest peacetime loss of US Navy ships. On the evening of September 8, 1923, 14 destroyers were engaging in simulated combat maneuvers a few miles from the northern side of the Santa Barbara Channel off the California coast. Upon reaching Honda Point, seven destroyers ran aground and were wrecked; two others suffered minor damage. In all, twenty-three sailors lost their lives. What is the "Devil's Jaw," and how did it factor into the incident? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Peter Sellers (1925)Sellers was a British actor who earned international stardom playing a wide range of characters at a time when rigid typecasting was the norm. The son of vaudeville performers, he began appearing with his parents as a boy. He started making films in the 1950s and later gained enormous popularity as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther series. In Dr. Strangelove, he plays three characters, including the titular role. What fourth character was he initially supposed to play? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 People only see what they are prepared to see.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have a hankering for (something)— To have a very strong, persistent desire or craving for something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Andorra National Day (2023)The Principality of Andorra, located in the Pyrénées Mountains between France and Spain, was founded by the Emperor Charlemagne. The people of Andorra celebrate their National Day by honoring Jungfrau von Meritxell, their patron saint. Pilgrims climb to her hilltop sanctuary near the villages of Encamp and Canillo, where her statue was found by a shepherd under an almond tree blooming out of season. The pilgrims stop to refresh themselves with drinks that have been cooled in the nearby springs, and after the sermon they celebrate by dancing and eating lamb grilled on slabs of slate. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: monkeysmacaque - Based on Bantu kaku, "monkey," and ma, denoting a plural, translating to "some monkeys." More... monkey business - A transfer of the tricks of monkeys to human behavior. More... barrel of monkeys - Monkeys are usually a source of merriment, so if one had a barrelful of them, one supposes this to be quite hilarious; a group of monkeys is actually called a troop. More... see monkeys - To be overcome by the heat while working. More... | |