Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, June 19, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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claptrap
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Silent SpeechSilent speech refers to a direct quotation that is said internally (i.e., silently) by someone to him- or herself. We still use reporting verbs, and we often apply the exact same punctuation rules to silent speech that we use in direct speech. What do some writers use to make silent speech stand out from the rest of the text? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 EpinephrineEpinephrine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla and released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress, as from fear or injury. It triggers a number of bodily responses, including increased blood pressure, heart rate, metabolic rate, and respiratory rate. It also raises glucose levels in the blood for use as fuel when more alertness or greater physical effort is needed. These reactions are known as the fight-or-flight response. Epinephrine is popularly known as what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Juneteenth Celebrations (1865)Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is a US holiday that commemorates the day when the slaves of Texas learned that they were legally free. Although President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was formally issued on Jan 1, 1863, it had little immediate effect on slaves' day-to-day lives. In Texas, it was not until June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops took over the state, that it was enforced. How is Juneteenth often celebrated? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Lou Gehrig (1903)As the New York Yankees' first baseman for 15 seasons, Gehrig broke numerous major-league records. He retired from baseball in 1939, after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, now commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. During an emotional farewell speech at Yankee Stadium, he proclaimed himself the "luckiest man on the face of the earth." Known as the "Iron Horse," Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive league games, setting a record that stood until 1995, when it was broken by whom? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Kings are not born: they are made by artificial hallucination.George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the going thing— The latest and most popular trend, fad, or fashion. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Petersburg White Nights Festival (2023)This celebration marks the time of year in St. Petersburg, Russia, when the nights are so short that the sky appears white, or light grey, and twilight lasts only 30 or 40 minutes. The city, with its many buildings painted in pastel shades of lavender, green, pink, and yellow, has a particularly beautiful charm during the white nights. The city is full of various events to celebrate this summer twilight. The Mariinsky Theatre presents a special program of ballets, operas, and symphonic concerts. There is also a chamber music festival and an international jazz festival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: punishexecute - Derives from Latin exsequi, "carry out, follow up; punish." More... gruelling - Comes from the verb gruel, "to exhaust, punish." More... punish - Derives from Latin punire, "punish," which came from poena, "penalty, punishment." More... penal, punitive - Penal means "relating to punishment," while punitive means "serving to punish." More... | |