Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, September 25, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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cosmopolitan
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining VerbsVerbs are used to indicate the actions, processes, conditions, or states of beings of people or things. They constitute the root of the predicate, which, along with the subject, forms a full clause or sentence. When we discuss verbs' role in the predicate, we usually divide them into what two fundamental categories? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The P-51 MustangA single-seat, single-engine monoplane produced for Britain's Royal Air Force and later adopted by the US Air Force, the P-51 Mustang was a fighter aircraft that played a significant part in defeating the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Originally equipped with eight machine guns and a camera for reconnaissance, the P-51 was a superb long-range fighter with a maximum speed of 390 mph (630 km/h). Though eventually replaced by jet fighters, P-51s were used in some air forces until when? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Running of the First Chicago Marathon (1977)The largest marathon in the world at that time, the first running of the Mayor Daley Marathon—now the Bank of America Chicago Marathon—drew 4,200 participants. Since then it has grown both in size and prestige. The race is now capped at 45,000 runners and is considered one of the world's most renowned marathons. The 30th anniversary running of the race was unique in several respects. For one thing, it featured a special CEO challenge, and for another, it was halted after just 3 ½ hours. Why? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi (1799)After Napoleon took control of Spain, Venezuelans seized the chance to revolt against Spanish rule. In 1811, Venezuela declared independence, but an earthquake in 1812 destroyed cities held by the rebels and furthered the cause of the royalists. In 1815, a pregnant Arismendi was captured—one day before her 17th birthday—by Spanish forces hoping to exert pressure on her husband, General Juan Bautista Arismendi, but she refused to renounce the revolution while imprisoned. What happened to her? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Enthusiasm, n.: A distemper of youth, curable by small doses of repentance in connection with outward applications of experience.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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roll (one's) eyes— To turn one's eyes upward or around in a circle, usually as an expression of exasperation, annoyance, impatience, or disdain. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Hispanic Heritage Month (2018)Since 1989, National Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the United States from September 15 until October 15. Issued as a presidential proclamation each year, the activities that take place during the month, particularly in cities with large Hispanic populations, focus on how Latinos have made the United States a richer and more interesting place to live. They include performances by Latino musical groups, lectures about Hispanic life, and special awards presentations to Latinos who have made significant achievements in business, education, or the arts. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: simpletondodo - Comes from Portuguese doudo, "fool, simpleton," from the bird's awkward appearance. More... doodle - Originally a noun meaning "fool, simpleton," from German dudeltopf, it came to mean absent-minded scribbling. More... gullible - A derivative of archaic gull, "dupe" or "simpleton." More... half-wit - Originally was "a would-be wit whose abilities are mediocre"; the sense of "simpleton" (one lacking all his wits) is attested to 1755. More... | |
| In the News | |
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Octopus 'City' Found Off the Coast of AustraliaIn the waters of Jervis Bay, just off the coast of eastern Australia, lies a city bustling with life—octopus life, that is. As Ephrat Livni writes for Quartz, researchers found an octopus "city" composed of 15 of the eight-legged beasts known as ... More... | |