Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, October 21, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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ConjugationConjugation refers to the way we inflect (change the form of) verbs to create particular meanings. What is grammatical tense? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Pyramid of the MagicianThe central structure in the ancient Mayan complex of Uxmal, Mexico, the Pyramid of the Magician is a step pyramid that was begun in the 6th century and expanded over the next 400 years. At the time, new temple pyramids were commonly built atop older ones, and this pyramid is the result of five nested temples. With its rounded sides, considerable height, steep slope, and elliptical base, the structure represents the pinnacle of late Maya art and architecture. How did it get its mysterious name? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 HMAS Australia Is First Ship Ever Hit by Kamikaze Attack (1944)In Japanese, kamikaze means "divine wind," a reference to the typhoon that foiled the Mongol invasion of Japan in 1281. In World War II, the term was used for Japanese pilots who made deliberate suicidal crashes into enemy targets. Such attacks sank 34 ships and damaged hundreds, killing thousands. In the lead up to the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Australia became perhaps the first ship damaged by a kamikaze. How many kamikaze attacks did it survive? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ronald McNair (1950)A nationally recognized US physicist, accomplished saxophonist, and black belt in karate, McNair was selected to join NASA's astronaut training program in 1978. Six years later, aboard the space shuttle Challenger, he became the second African American in space. His next trip into orbit was to take place on the same shuttle on January 28, 1986, and McNair brought his sax along for the ride, intending to be the first to record an original piece of music in space. Why did this never happen? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied with herself. Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion. All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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catch a snooze— To sleep or take a nap, especially of a short duration. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Trafalgar Day (2023)This is the anniversary of the famous naval battle fought by the British off Cape Trafalgar, Spain, in 1805, under the command of Viscount Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). The victory over Napoleon's forces cost Lord Nelson his life and is commemorated by the column erected in his honor in London's Trafalgar Square. Ceremonies on Trafalgar Day, or Nelson Day, include a naval parade from London's Mall to Trafalgar Square, where a brief service is held and wreaths are placed at the foot of Nelson's Column. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: meteorastrobleme - A crater caused by a meteor. More... aerolithology - The study of meteors. More... meteorite - A meteor that survives and makes it to a planet; types of meteorites include siderites/irons, aerolites/stones, and siderolites (iron/stone). More... falling star - Another name for meteor or shooting star. More... | |