Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, November 29, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
bullhorn
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - MustThe modal verb "must" is most often used to express necessity—i.e., that something has to happen or be the case. When is "must" used in interrogative sentences? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The Mysterious Boulders of MoerakiThe unusually large, spherical Moeraki Boulders that dot a stretch of Koekohe Beach in New Zealand have been the subject of attention since prehistoric times. They range in size from .5 to 2.2 m (1.5 to 6.7 ft) in diameter and are composed of mud, fine-silt, and clay, and are cemented by calcite. Centuries of coastal erosion have exhumed these septarian concretions from the mudstone enclosing them. How many millions of years did it take for the larger Moeraki Boulders to form? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Zong Massacre: Slaves Thrown Overboard (1781)In 1781, overcrowding, disease, and malnutrition killed several crew members and dozens of African slaves being transported to Jamaica as "cargo" on the British slave ship Zong. Knowing that insurers would not compensate his employers for sick slaves or those dead from illness—but would offer compensation for drowned slaves—the ship's captain decided to throw more than 130 slaves overboard. What landmark decision resulted from the court case that followed? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Louisa May Alcott (1832)Determined to contribute to the small family income, Alcott began writing to help support her mother and sisters. She first achieved widespread fame and wealth with Little Women, one of the most popular children's books ever written. The novel, which recounts the adolescent adventures of the four March sisters, is largely autobiographical. Her first book, Flower Fables, was a collection of tales originally created to amuse the daughter of her friend, what famous American poet? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 I made up my mind long ago that life was too short to do anything for myself that I could pay others to do for me.W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
a head-scratcher— A thoroughly complex or difficult mystery, problem, puzzle, or riddle. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Vanuatu Unity Day (2023)The nation of Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands, 113 languages, and a host of different tribal groups. To celebrate the unification of differing groups into one nation, Unity Day was established on November 29. To celebrate this day, representatives from all of Vanuatu's peoples come to the capital city of Port Vila. High chiefs from all the islands attend the festivities, which include performances by native dancers in traditional dress and a parade. Music concerts and sporting events are also part of the celebration. Citizens usually observe the day with picnics or by camping. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: stringsbelly - In the violin family, the top surface of an instrument, across which the strings are placed. More... spaghetti - Naming pastas for everyday things is an Italian tradition, as in spaghetti, which means "strings." More... plectrum - Originally a device for tightening the strings of a harp, it is now the piece used to pluck a guitar's strings; its plural is plectrums or plectra. More... puppet, marionette - The word puppet originally meant "doll," and a puppet usually goes on the hand and arm, while a marionette (or string puppet) is a jointed figure with strings or wires. More... | |