Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, April 25, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Functions of the Relative PronounA relative pronoun is a type of pronoun used to connect a relative clause to the main clause in a sentence. In a relative clause, the relative pronoun functions in one of three ways. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The HoraeThe Horae, whose name literally means the "Hours," are three goddesses in Greek mythology who are said to control orderly life. Traditionally, there are thought to be two generations, or sets, of Horae: Thallo, Auxo, and Carpo—the goddesses of spring, summer, and autumn—and Eunomia, Dike, and Eirene, charged with maintaining the stability of society. In addition, there are the 12 tutelary goddesses also called hours, each of which presides over an hour of the day. Who parented the Horae? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 La Marseillaise, French National Anthem, Is Composed (1792)Written and composed by French army officer Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792, La Marseillaise was adopted in 1795 as France's first anthem. Although it was then banned by Napoleon I, Louis XVIII, and Napoleon III, it was restored as France's national anthem in 1879. The evocative lyrics and recognizable tune of La Marseillaise have led to its use as a revolutionary anthem and have inspired many pieces of classical music and pop culture. What are some examples? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ella Fitzgerald (1917)After winning an amateur contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater in 1934, Fitzgerald started singing with Chick Webb's big band and soon became its star. She recorded her first hit, "A Tisket-A Tasket," in 1938 and went on to become one of the best-selling vocal recording artists in history and a 14-time Grammy Award winner. In 1960, she made a famous live recording in which she improvised new lyrics to a song after forgetting the original ones. The performance earned her a Grammy. What song was it? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Friendships begin with liking or gratitude — roots that can be pulled up.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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in (one's) dotage— In a state of senility or mental decline due to old age. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Founding of the People's Army of North Korea (2024)The founding of the People's Army of North Korea in 1932 is marked every year with a national public holiday. The main celebration takes place in the capital city of Pyongyang and includes oratorical meetings, where various officials praise the army's exploits. Public displays can also include parades, gun-salutes, fireworks, choruses, dance displays, and drum-beating. While many sources list February 8, 1948, as the army's official start-date, the North Korean government observes 1932 as the date of the army's founding. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rollingbeachcomber - A long wave rolling in from the sea. More... sprag - A block placed behind a car wheel to keep it from rolling down a hill. More... keep the ball rolling - An allusion to rugby or bandy. More... voluble - "Flowing with speech, talkative"; such a person has words "rolling" off their tongue. More... | |