Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, December 26, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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querulous
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Auxiliary Verbs - CouldThe modal verb "could" is most often used as a past-tense version of "can," indicating what someone or something was able to do in the past. "Could" can be used in what types of conditional sentences? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Mirror TestThis test is used to determine whether an animal recognizes itself in a mirror—an indicator of self-awareness. It was developed in 1970 by psychologist Gordon Gallup, Jr., who was inspired by Darwin's account of an encounter with a captive orangutan that saw itself in a mirror and seemed to show recognition. Gallup refined the test by placing marks on his subjects and then observing their responses to the marks upon seeing their reflections. Which animals typically pass the test, and which fail? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Kwanzaa Celebrated (1966)Observed from December 26 to January 1 and patterned after African harvest festivals, Kwanzaa is a secular festival celebrating the African heritage of African Americans. Developed by black-studies professor Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa emphasizes the role of the family and community in African-American culture. Each day is dedicated to a particular principle—such as unity, creativity, or faith. The holiday's name is taken from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanzaa, which means what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Mary Fairfax Somerville (1780)Somerville became an accomplished science writer at a time when women's involvement in the sciences was generally discouraged. She earned widespread recognition for her 1831 translation of Pierre-Simon Laplace's five-volume Mécanique Céleste (Celestial Mechanics), a project she undertook for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, which aimed to adapt scientific material for the rapidly expanding reading public. What term was coined in a review of one of her other works? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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hold the reins— To have or be in control, especially of a group, project, or situation. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Fiesta de Sumamao (2023)The Argentine ritual drama known as sumamao ("beautiful river") is named after the location in which it is traditionally performed—near the Rio Dulce. On San Esteban's (St. Stephen's) Day, December 26, an avenue of arcos, or arches, tied together by cords hung with ichas (cakes in the form of puppets), leads up to the altar. The drama begins at dawn with trumpets and fireworks, followed by a slow procession through the arches. The rest of the drama unfolds throughout the day, culminating in the demolition of the arcos and the eating of the ichas. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: presencehoodoo - A person who practices voodoo; the word also describes a person or thing whose presence is supposed to bring bad luck. More... al fresco - Implies the presence of some nearby structure (one does not hike al fresco). More... pyrosis - Heartburn is actually pyrosis, caused by the presence of gastric secretions, called reflux, in the lower esophagus. More... evince - To indicate, to reveal the presence of a quality or feeling. More... | |