Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, October 10, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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amicable
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Question MarksQuestion marks ( ? ) are used to identify sentences that ask a question (technically known as interrogative sentences). What are indirect questions? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Vatican LibraryFounded in the 4th century and re-established in the 15th century by Pope Nicholas V, the Vatican Library is the oldest public library in Europe and one of the chief libraries of the world. Today, it holds more than 75,000 manuscripts and more than 1.1 million books, including thousands from the dawn of printing. It has amassed materials from the libraries of notable figures throughout history, including the Dukes of Urbino and Queen Christina of Sweden. How old is the library building itself? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Double Tenth Incident (1943)During the Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II, several Japanese ships in Singapore Harbor were sunk in an Allied raid. On October 10, or the "Double Tenth," Japanese military police arrested 57 civilian suspects—none of whom had actually been involved in the plot—and tortured them for months. Fifteen of the detainees died. After the war, 21 of the Japanese officers were charged with war crimes, eight were sentenced to death, and six received prison terms. What happened to the rest? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Helen Hayes (1900)Hayes was an American actress who began her stage career at the age of five and debuted on Broadway at nine. She went on to star in Broadway productions such as Caesar and Cleopatra and became known as "the First Lady of the American Theatre." She won three Tony Awards, as well as two Academy Awards for her roles in The Sin of Madelon Claudet and Airport. Hayes is one of only a handful of people who have won a Tony, an Oscar, and what other two awards? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The most useful thing about a principle is that it can always be sacrificed to expediency.W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have had the biscuit— To be no longer functional or useful; to be dead or about to perish. Primarily heard in Canada. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Cuban Anniversary of the Beginning of the Wars of Independence (2023)This official holiday in Cuba marks the day in 1868 when Cuba declared its autonomy from Spain. The declaration, called the Grito de Yara, began the Ten Years' War (1868-1878), which was the first of three wars that Cuba fought against Spain for its freedom. Schools and offices in Cuba are closed on this day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: losingidiot strings - Refers to the strings that attach mittens to prevent a child from losing one. More... in hock - Can be traced to the card game faro, in which the last card in the box was called the hocketty card; when a player bet on a card that ended up in hock, he was at a disadvantage and was himself in hock and at risk of losing his bets. More... jeopardy - Comes from French ieu parti, "(evenly) divided game" (from Latin jocus partitus, "divided game"), referring originally to chess, in which the chances of winning and losing are balanced. More... pain - Originally meant punishment for a crime or offense—sometimes by losing one's head. More... | |