Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, August 9, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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panegyric
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Uncountable NounsNouns that cannot be divided or counted as individual elements or separate parts are called uncountable nouns (also known as mass nouns or non-count nouns). Why is it incorrect to use third-person plural pronouns with uncountable nouns? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Lake VostokHundreds of subglacial lakes are hidden under the surface of Antarctica, and Lake Vostok is the largest. Located beneath some 13,000 ft (4,000 m) of ice, Lake Vostok's pristine waters have been sealed off for perhaps more than a million years and may be home to life forms unknown to science. Researchers have spent years trying to drill through the ice to retrieve water samples despite concerns they might contaminate the lake in the process. In May 2005, what was found in the center of the lake? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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.jpg) Nathan Ames Patents His "Revolving Stairs," Now Known as the Escalator (1859)Although no working model of his design was ever built, Ames is credited with patenting the first escalator. His idea for the "revolving stairs" was largely speculative. It was not until the 1890s that the first working escalator—called the "inclined elevator"—was produced, based on another's designs. It was installed among the amusements at New York's Coney Island but did not remain a novelty for long. How did shoppers react when Harrods in London debuted its first escalator in 1898? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Amedeo Avogadro (1776)In 1811, Avogadro, an Italian physicist, advanced the hypothesis that equal volumes of gases under identical conditions of pressure and temperature contain the same number of molecules. Now one of the fundamental concepts of the atomic theory of matter, his theory has become known as Avogadro's law. Since then, physicists have determined the number of molecules in the gram-molecular weight and found that it is the same for all gases. This number, called Avogadro's number, is how large? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Being poor is a mere trifle. It is being known to be poor that is the sting.Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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Hallmark moment— A particularly poignant, memorable, or emotionally touching moment or event, i.e., one that would be suitable as a greeting card. A reference to the Hallmark brand of greeting cards. Sometimes used ironically or satirically. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.svg.png) Singapore National Day (2023)Singapore National Day is a public holiday in Singapore to commemorate its independence. Singapore was the administrative seat for the Straits Settlements, a British crown colony, from 1867 until it was occupied by Japan in World War II. It was restored to Britain in 1945, became a part of Malaysia in 1963, and became independent in 1965. The holiday is celebrated with a spectacular parade, cultural dances, and fireworks. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: truckroo bar - An Australian term for a metal bar on the front of a car or truck that prevents the vehicle from being damaged in the event of a collision with an animal (such as a kangaroo). More... snow groomer - A truck or other vehicle, either with tracks running along both sides or dragging equipment behind, used to maintain ski hills and groom (pack down) snow. More... truck farm - Refers to the sense of truck as "commodities for sale," and, later, "garden produce for market." More... truck - Formed by combining Latin trochos, "wheel," and Greek trechein, "to run," it originally referred to a wooden wheel. More... | |