Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, May 31, 2024)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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parapraxis
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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"Could" and Rhetorical Questions"Could" is sometimes used informally in sarcastic or rhetorical questions that highlight a behavior someone finds irritating, unacceptable, or inappropriate. In these situations, "could" is often (but not always) used with what as a main verb? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Death DriveIn his observations of World War I veterans, Sigmund Freud noticed that the men had a strange proclivity toward reenacting traumatic experiences. He also observed this tendency in young children who often play games that simulate unpleasant situations. To explain this, he introduced and later developed the concept of the death drive: a primitive impulse for destruction, decay, and death, manifested by a turning away from pleasure. What Freudian principle does the death drive violate? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Union of South Africa Created (1910)In 1910, the British colonies of Cape Colony, Transvaal, Natal, and Orange River were unified into the new Union of South Africa. Under the Union's constitution, power was centralized. Elections were held, and Louis Botha became the first prime minister. The Dutch language was given equal status with English, and each province retained its existing franchise qualifications. The Union became independent and withdrew from the Commonwealth exactly how many years after its founding? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Henry Sidgwick (1838)Sidgwick was a British philosopher whose Methods of Ethics is considered by some to be the most significant 19th-century ethical work in English. Drawing on the utilitarianism of John Stuart Mill and the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant, he proposed a system of "universalistic hedonism" that would reconcile the conflict between the pleasure of self and the pleasure of others. He promoted higher education for women and cofounded what society devoted to studying paranormal events? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you've conquered human nature.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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at a (single) stroke— All at once, with a single decisive or powerful action. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day (2024)The formation of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces took place on May 31, 1961, and is commemorated each year. Brunei had been a British protectorate since 1888, dependent on the British armed forces for its defense. In 1961, Brunei recruits began training as part of a transition period toward independence for the country, which occurred in 1984. Around the country, there may be parades and military displays put on by various units of the armed forces. In the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan, it is usually commemorated at the Taman Haji Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien in the city center. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: positivelitotes - From Greek litos, "simple, single," it refers to an ironical understatement (e.g. no small amount) or two negatives used to make a positive (e.g. it was not unsuccessful); it is pronounced lie-TOH-teez, LEYED-uh-teez, LID-uh-teez, or leye-TOHD-eez. More... set point - One's set point (for happiness) is a genetically determined level of happiness, to which one returns after positive or negative emotional experiences. More... Positive, comparative, superlative - Positive is the ordinary form of a word, with comparative conveying a sense of greater intensity of the adjective and superlative reflecting the greatest intensity of the adjective. More... acceptable face - The positive or reasonable side of something. More... | |
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