Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, July 30, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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harbinger
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Ellipses When Omitting Text from a QuotationThe most formal way ellipses are used is to indicate that some text has been omitted from a quoted sentence or passage. For what reasons would we omit text from a quotation? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 BentoTraditional Japanese bento is a style of boxed meal prepared in a thin plastic or lacquered wood box that is divided into small compartments, each of which contains a separate dish. Bento has existed in Japan for centuries. Today, these compartmentalized meals are available in convenience stores and kiosks, but some still prepare them at home as a special lunch for children or as a meal to bring to work. In one elaborate form of bento called kyaraben, the food is made to look like what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 USS Indianapolis Sunk by Japanese, Hundreds Die Awaiting Rescue (1945)After delivering parts for the first atomic bomb to a US base in the Pacific, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. It sank in 12 minutes. Roughly 300 sailors were killed in the initial attack, and the remaining 900 faced exposure, dehydration, and shark attacks while awaiting rescue. The US Navy only learned of the sinking four days later, when survivors were spotted by a pilot on patrol. In the end, only 316 survived. Why was the ship's captain court-martialed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Fatima Jinnah (1893)Commonly known in Pakistan as Khatoon-e-Pakistan and Madar-e-Millat—Urdu for "Lady of Pakistan" and "Mother of the Nation," respectively—Jinnah was the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, and an active figure in the movement for independence from the British Raj. She remained politically active after her brother's death and even ran for president in 1965, though she lost by a narrow margin. What was Jinnah's occupation before she became involved in politics? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble ... Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change.H.G. Wells (1866-1946) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the Greek calends— A time that is expected to never arrive or occur. (Used after a preposition, especially "at," "on," or "till.") A reference to the day of the new moon and the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar, which the Greeks did not observe. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Vanuatu Independence Day (2023)The most important national holiday in Vanuatu, Independence Day is celebrated throughout the country. It marks the end of colonial rule by the French and British. The largest Independence Day celebrations take place in the capital city of Port Vila. A number of sporting events are held, as well as canoe and yacht races in the harbor. A military parade takes place in Independence Park. Dancing takes place and aerobics groups from throughout Vanuatu perform, and a string band competition is held. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rowwindbreak - A row of trees acting as a fence. More... acrostic - From Greek akron, "end," and stikhos, "row, line of verse." More... queue - Has the forms queued and queuing or queueing; queueing has five vowels in a row. More... row - The verb comes from Germanic ro-, "steer," and row, "orderly line," which is from Germanic raigwa. More... | |