Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, October 5, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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witless
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Primary Auxiliary VerbsThe "primary" auxiliary verbs are "be," "have," and "do"—they occur most commonly in English. What is the emphatic "do"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ArboretumsAn arboretum is a botanical garden primarily devoted to trees and other woody plants that are cultivated for scientific, educational, and ornamental purposes. The plants are labeled with their common and scientific names, and they are arranged in cultural or habitat groups, such as tropical, desert, and aquatic. One of the world's oldest arboretums is the Trsteno Arboretum, near Dubrovnik in Croatia. What arboretum in England helped inspire the design for New York City's Central Park? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The March on Versailles (1789)During the French Revolution, 6,000 knife-wielding fishwives and their husbands marched to the Palace of Versailles, gleefully singing songs about killing Marie Antoinette, whom they blamed for recent bread shortages. They broke into the palace early the next morning and beheaded two royal guards. The queen, her children, and her attendants hid in the king's bedchamber while a large crowd gathered in the courtyard outside, demanding an audience. Aside from food, what did they demand of the king? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Denis Diderot (1713)Enormously influential in shaping the rationalistic spirit of the 18th century, Diderot was a French encyclopedist, philosopher, novelist, dramatist, and art critic. After rejecting a career in law to pursue his own studies, he served as chief editor of the 35-volume Encyclopédie, one of the principal works of the Enlightenment, from 1745 to 1772. The controversial project was once the target of a seizure by government officials. Where were the manuscripts said to have been hidden? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.Sun Tzu (544 BC-496 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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have (something) on— To be busy or engaged with something; to have plans to do something at a particular point in time. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.svg.png) Fiestas de Octubre (October Feasts) (2023)The October Feasts have been held every year in the city of Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, since 1965. Throughout the month, residents and visitors enjoy a variety of cultural events that celebrate local and international culture, including opera, jazz and other musical performances, art exhibits, folk dances, ballet, theater, and food. Attendees can also find amusement park rides, bungee jumping, and a haunted house billed as "one of the largest in Latin America." More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: seatsdress circle - So called because it is a circular row of seats at an entertainment, the spectators of which are expected to be in dress clothes. More... sedile - A seat by the altar for a member of the church clergy. More... tandem - From Latin, literally "eventually, at length," and then, metaphorically, "acting conjointly"; in the 1880s, it was transferred from a two-horse carriage to a bicycle with two seats, one behind the other. More... circus - Latin for "ring," its first use was for the arena of Roman antiquity, an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent. More... | |