Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, January 10, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
parhelion
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Identifying Auxiliary VerbsAuxiliary verbs are verbs that add functional meaning to other "main" verbs in a clause. Auxiliary verbs can be identified by two main criteria. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The Bâton PercéBecause archeologists are unsure of its original function, they now use the descriptive term bâton percé, meaning "pierced rod," to refer to this type of prehistoric artifact. Made from a length of antler with a round hole in one end and often etched with designs, the bâton percé was originally believed to be a symbol of power. Later theories suggest it may have been a fertility symbol, arrow straightener, dress fastener, calendar, or spear thrower. How was the latter theory tested? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 London Underground Begins Operation (1863)The world's first subway line opened in London in 1863. It was 3.75 mi (6 km) long and soon carried tens of thousands of passengers each day—transporting 9.5 million in its first year. Initially steam-powered, the system first electrified some of its lines in 1890. By 1896, it was fully electrified. Today, the London Underground system is one of the largest in the world, with 256 mi (410 km) of track and 270 stations. What is the record for visiting them all in the shortest amount of time? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835)Japanese author, educator, and publisher Fukuzawa Yukichi grew up during a tumultuous time in Japan, as Western powers began infiltrating the country and the Japanese people's hostility toward the ruling shogunate grew. Fukuzawa—who was intrigued by the West—traveled to the US on a diplomatic mission in 1860 and afterward became involved in Japan's Meiji Restoration, which restored the emperor to power and rapidly modernized the country. What is considered Fukuzawa's most important contribution? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Pleasures are more beneficial than duties, because, like the quality of mercy, they are not strained, and they are twice blest.Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
be on (the) air— To be broadcasting live, as on television or radio. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Benin National Vodoun Day (2022)Vodoun is an ancient, African, pantheistic religion. When it was brought to the Americas by African slaves, it was blended with elements of Christianity into what is known as "Voodoo." The present African country of Benin, situated on the former kingdom of Dahomey, is known as a center of Vodoun culture. The day is celebrated throughout Benin with processions, Vodoun rituals, dances, and even an international film festival. The celebration's central activity, however, is the re-enactment of the journey from the slave auction block in the center of town to the ships in the harbor. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: musical instrumentpiano word - One in which all of its letters can be played as notes on a musical instrument (e.g. cabbage). More... cord, chord - Cord comes from Greek khorde, "gut, string of a musical instrument," and chord is a refashioning of cord. More... sweet potato - An informal name for the ocarina, a musical instrument. More... tone color - The same as timbre, the quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or musical instrument from another. More... | |