Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, May 16, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Demonstrative AdjectivesLike all adjectives, demonstrative adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. Because they are used to determine a specific noun, demonstrative adjectives are sometimes known as what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The NommoThe Nommo are ancestral spirits worshipped by the Dogon tribe of Mali. Recognized by the Dogon as the first living beings, they are usually described as amphibious, hermaphroditic, fish-like creatures. The Nommo bear resemblance to several mythical beings from other cultures, and there are parallels between their story and that of Jesus. What details about Nommo mythology—which have since led to controversy—were reportedly revealed to two French anthropologists by the Dogon in the 1940s? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 16 May 1877 Crisis (1877)On May 16, 1877—le Seize Mai—French Republic president Marie MacMahon, a monarchist, attempted to rescue the monarchical cause by dismissing the republican prime minister and replacing him with a monarchist leader and cabinet. When the Chamber of Deputies rejected the new government, MacMahon dissolved parliament and ordered new elections, precipitating a crisis. His efforts spectacularly backfired, however, when the republicans triumphantly returned to government through what means? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Wladziu Valentino Liberace (1919)Liberace began playing piano at the age of 4, and by 16, he had appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He soon began giving concerts in flamboyant costumes with ornate pianos, and though he occasionally performed with symphony orchestras, he built his career primarily upon popular music. Hugely successful, he hosted a television variety series, and, in later years, performed frequently in Las Vegas. During what decades was he said to be the world's highest paid entertainer? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A man in debt is so far a slave.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the granddaddy of them all— The biggest, oldest, most impressive, or most respected person or thing of his, her, or its kind. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Florence Musical May (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) (2024)The Florence May Festival was first held in 1933, and it wasn't long before it had established itself as one of the most important international festivals in Italy. It offers chamber and symphonic music, ballet, and dance, and is recognized as a pioneer in its efforts to revive rare foreign and Italian operas. Most of the larger events are held in the Teatro della Pergola or the more modern Teatro Comunale, home of the festival's resident opera company. The festival regularly commissions new opera and dance productions. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: servantslivery - A company's distinctive color scheme or emblem on vehicles is called the livery; livery first referred to the dispensing of clothes, food, or provisions to servants. More... gardyloo - A warning cry derived from French gare de l'eau, "beware of the water"—referring to the water and slops that were once thrown by servants from higher stories of a building onto the street. More... servants' quarters - In Victorian days, they were usually referred to as below stairs; above stairs was the realm of the family. More... family - First referred to the servants of a household and then to both the servants and the descendants of a common ancestor. It comes from Latin familia, "household; household servants," which came from another Latin term, famulus, "servant." It was not until 1667 that the term was used specifically for parents and their children. More... | |