Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, September 12, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
hilarity
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Perfective and Imperfective AspectThe perfective aspect highlights actions, states, or events as a whole. The imperfective aspect is used when we focus on the internal structures of an action. What is the continuous aspect? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 HeliamphoraHeliamphora is a genus of carnivorous pitcher plants native to South America. The plants lure insects into their deadly pitchers with their vivid pigmentation, sweet scent, and a spoon-like appendage suspended above the tube that secretes nectar. Inside the pitcher, downward-facing hairs force insects deeper inward, until they are drowned in fluid collected at its bottom and then digested by symbiotic bacteria. How do these plants keep from filling completely with water when it rains? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Teens Stumble upon Ancient Cave Paintings in Lascaux, France (1940)In 1940, four teens uncovered a fantastic archeological site, a cave system decorated with prehistoric paintings, drawings, and engravings that have been dated to about 15,000–13,000 BCE. Many of the paintings are drawn over former works, enabling experts to trace stylistic developments over more than 1,000 years. The later paintings, featuring animals along with signs and symbols, exhibit an advanced artistic quality and technical skill. Why was the cave closed to the public in 1963? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Maurice Chevalier (1888)Chevalier was a French actor, singer, and vaudeville entertainer known for his trademark tuxedo and straw hat. While a prisoner of war during World War I, Chevalier studied English. After the war, he began acting in the US, where he appeared in movies that helped establish the musical as a film genre. Though he put on a heavy French accent while performing in English, he actually spoke the language quite fluently with only a subtle accent. Why did his popularity dwindle during World War II? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 To furnish the means of acquiring knowledge is . . . the greatest benefit that can be conferred upon mankind. It prolongs life itself and enlarges the sphere of existence.John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
have a/the right to (something)— To have the just or legal permission, privilege, or authority to have or own something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Defenders' Day (2023)Defenders' Day, a legal holiday in Maryland, celebrates the anniversary of the battle of North Point. The battle took place near Baltimore on September 12, 1814; two days later, the unsuccessful British attack on Baltimore's Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to jot down the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner." For this reason the two events are celebrated more or less in conjunction on September 12. Defenders' Day is celebrated with a number of patriotic events, including an annual mock bombardment of the fort on the weekend nearest September 12. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: temper | |