Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, July 30, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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turncoat
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Ellipses When Omitting Text from a QuotationThe most formal way ellipses are used is to indicate that some text has been omitted from a quoted sentence or passage. For what reasons would we omit text from a quotation? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ZenZen is the Japanese name for a branch of Buddhism originally practiced in China. Legend states that an Indian monk named Bodhidharma traveled to China and declared to Emperor Wudi that meditation, not good deeds, is the path to enlightenment. Bodhidharma himself is said to have sat in constant meditation for nine years. His teachings—which emphasize breaking through the boundaries of logical thought—developed fully in Japan by the 12th century, where they came to be called Zen. What is "zazen"? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The First Defenestration of Prague (1419)In 1419, a mob of Czech Hussites stormed the town hall of Prague and killed several members of the town council by throwing them out of a window—an act known as "defenestration." Spurred by discontent at the inequality between the peasants and the Church and nobility, the First Defenestration of Prague led to the prolonged Hussite Wars, which broke out shortly afterward and continued until 1436. What was the Second Defenestration of Prague? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Fatima Jinnah (1893)Commonly known in Pakistan as Khatoon-e-Pakistan and Madar-e-Millat—Urdu for "Lady of Pakistan" and "Mother of the Nation," respectively—Jinnah was the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and an active figure in the movement for independence from the British Raj. She remained politically active after her brother's death and even ran for president in 1965, though she lost by a narrow margin. What was Jinnah's occupation before she became involved in politics? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The very existence of government at all, infers inequality. The citizen who is preferred to office becomes the superior to those who are not, so long as he is the repository of power, and the child inherits the wealth of the parent as a controlling law of society.James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the Greek calends— A time that is expected to never arrive or occur. (Used after a preposition, especially "at," "on," or "till.") A reference to the day of the new moon and the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar, which the Greeks did not observe. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Vanuatu Independence Day (2023)The most important national holiday in Vanuatu, Independence Day is celebrated throughout the country. It marks the end of colonial rule by the French and British. The largest Independence Day celebrations take place in the capital city of Port Vila. A number of sporting events are held, as well as canoe and yacht races in the harbor. A military parade takes place in Independence Park. Dancing takes place and aerobics groups from throughout Vanuatu perform, and a string band competition is held. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rowwindbreak - A row of trees acting as a fence. More... acrostic - From Greek akron, "end," and stikhos, "row, line of verse." More... queue - Has the forms queued and queuing or queueing; queueing has five vowels in a row. More... row - The verb comes from Germanic ro-, "steer," and row, "orderly line," which is from Germanic raigwa. More... | |