Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 29, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Auxiliary Verbs - MustThe modal verb "must" is most often used to express necessity—i.e., that something has to happen or be the case. When is "must" used in interrogative sentences? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Star FortsWhen the maneuverable siege cannon came into use in the 15th century, military engineers had to rethink medieval-style fortifications, whose tall, broad walls were highly vulnerable to cannon fire. They developed the star fort, or trace italienne, a flat, tiered structure composed of low, thick walls embedded in ditches, whose complex shape allowed defensive cannons to cover interlocking fields of fire. What technologies eventually rendered the star fort's intricate geometry irrelevant? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Zong Massacre: Slaves Thrown Overboard (1781)In 1781, overcrowding, disease, and malnutrition killed several crew members and dozens of African slaves being transported to Jamaica as "cargo" on the British slave ship Zong. Knowing that insurers would not compensate his employers for sick slaves or those dead from illness—but would offer compensation for drowned slaves—the ship's captain decided to throw more than 130 slaves overboard. What landmark decision resulted from the court case that followed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mildred Gillars, AKA Axis Sally (1900)Mildred Sisk was born in Portland, Maine, but went to Europe in the 1920s, changed her name, and by 1934 was an English-language radio broadcaster in Berlin. During World War II, she broadcast Nazi propaganda aimed to demoralize American troops, who nicknamed her "Axis Sally." On the radio, Gillars emphasized the infidelity of soldiers' wives and sweethearts while they were overseas. She was convicted of treason in 1949 and spent 12 years in prison. What did she do after she was released? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Promises and pie-crusts are made to be broken.Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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a head-scratcher— A thoroughly complex or difficult mystery, problem, puzzle, or riddle. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Vanuatu Unity Day (2023)The nation of Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands, 113 languages, and a host of different tribal groups. To celebrate the unification of differing groups into one nation, Unity Day was established on November 29. To celebrate this day, representatives from all of Vanuatu's peoples come to the capital city of Port Vila. High chiefs from all the islands attend the festivities, which include performances by native dancers in traditional dress and a parade. Music concerts and sporting events are also part of the celebration. Citizens usually observe the day with picnics or by camping. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stringsbelly - In the violin family, the top surface of an instrument, across which the strings are placed. More... spaghetti - Naming pastas for everyday things is an Italian tradition, as in spaghetti, which means "strings." More... plectrum - Originally a device for tightening the strings of a harp, it is now the piece used to pluck a guitar's strings; its plural is plectrums or plectra. More... puppet, marionette - The word puppet originally meant "doll," and a puppet usually goes on the hand and arm, while a marionette (or string puppet) is a jointed figure with strings or wires. More... | |