Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, April 23, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dilettante
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Adjectives of AgeAdjectives of age can describe how old a person, place, or thing is. Why do we have to be careful with adjectives of age? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ShamanismShamanism is premised on the belief that the visible world is pervaded by invisible spirits that affect the lives of the living. Intermediaries known as shamans are believed to have contact with these forces and to be able to cure illness, foretell the future, and control natural events. Some societies distinguish shamans who cure from sorcerers who harm, while others believe that all shamans have both curative and deadly powers. What methods do shamans use to make contact with the spirit world? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Clontarf (1014)The Battle of Clontarf was a decisive battle fought between Irish forces under the high king of Ireland, Brian Boru, and a Viking army formed by Sitric, king of the Dublin Norse. Brian's forces defeated the Vikings at Clontarf, near Dublin, but he was killed shortly thereafter by fleeing Norsemen. Brian's victory broke Viking power in Ireland, but, without a king, the country split into small, separate kingdoms that then fought one another. What was Wolf the Quarrelsome's role in the battle? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Shirley Temple (1928)A precocious performer known for her dimples and golden curls, Temple was a child actress who became America's most popular female star and Hollywood's top box office attraction in the Great Depression era. In 1934, she made nine movies, leaping to stardom with Little Miss Marker and winning a special Academy Award that year. She effectively retired from moviemaking in 1950. As an adult, Temple served as a US delegate to the UN General Assembly and as US ambassador to what countries? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is not down in any map; true places never are.Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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in virtue of (something)— Due to something; because of something; by reason of something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Moors and Christians Fiesta (2024)Moors and Christians fiestas are celebrated all over Spain, but the Fiesta of Alcoy is one of the most colorful. Coinciding with the feast day of St. George, it commemorates the victory of Christians over the Moorish leader al-Azraq in 1276. The fiesta begins on the morning of April 22 with the entry of the Christians; the Moors arrive in the afternoon, dressed in exotic costumes. On April 23, the relic of St. George is carried in procession to the parish church. On the third day, the battle is reenacted, and an apparition of St. George appears on the battlements of the castle. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: maintainedpetite maison - A love nest or a residence maintained for a mistress. More... standing army - A permanent army maintained in time of peace and war. More... parochial school - A school established and maintained by a religious body, from Latin parochialis, "of a parish." More... radio silence - A status in which all fixed or mobile radio stations in an area stop transmitting (sometimes limited to certain frequency bands) for the period of time during which this status exists. More... | |