Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, January 26, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mound
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Emphasizing Duration with the Present Perfect ContinuousThe present perfect continuous is especially useful for putting emphasis on the length of time that has passed while something is happening. What is the present perfect continuous verb in the following sentence? "They have been studying for three weeks for this exam." More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Royal JellyRoyal jelly is a substance secreted by the pharyngeal glands of worker bees. Although it is fed to all young larvae in a colony, only those destined to be queens get to consume it exclusively and in large quantities. This rapid, early feeding triggers the development of reproductive structures unique to queen bees. Royal jelly is found in various beauty products and is also marketed as a dietary supplement that may provide certain health benefits because it contains what substances? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Australia Day: Britain's First Fleet Arrives (1788)On January 26, 1788, the first British fleet in modern-day Australia claimed it in the name of King George III. Captain Arthur Phillip and his band of British convicts settled in Port Jackson—where the city of Sydney was later established—and built a penal colony there to help relieve overcrowding in the British prisons. First officially celebrated in 1818, Australia Day—formerly known as Foundation Day or Anniversary Day—has been a public holiday since 1838. What was the British fleet called? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (1892)Coleman was an American civil aviator who became the first female pilot of African-American descent and the first person of African-American descent to hold an international pilot license. After attaining her license in France, Coleman continued to train extensively and earned a living as a stunt pilot in air shows, earning the nickname "Queen Bess." She died in an aviation accident in 1926, but her legacy inspired countless aviators. What led to the accident that resulted in Coleman's death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 People who love downy peaches are apt not to think of the stone, and sometimes jar their teeth terribly against it.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
the other side— Existence after death; the world of the afterlife. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Australia Day (2022)The anniversary of the first British settlement in Australia on January 26, 1788, was formerly known as Foundation Day or Anniversary Day. Captain Arthur Phillip and his company of British convicts arrived first at Botany Bay, and when that proved to be unsuitable, they moved on to Port Jackson, where the city of Sydney was eventually established. First officially celebrated in 1818, Australia Day has been a public holiday since 1838. It used to be observed on either January 26 or the nearest Monday, but, since 1994, it has been observed on January 26 with celebrations all over the country. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: pancakeblin - As in blini and blintze, it is Russian for "pancake." More... blintz, blintze - Blintz(e) is from Russian blinets, "little pancake." More... cake - A Viking contribution, from Old Norse kaka, it is related to "cook"; cake first meant small, flat bread roll baked on both sides by being turned—as in pancake or potato cake. More... omelet, omelette - Omelet has also been written omelette, amulet, and aumelet; omelet's root sense is "thin layer" or "crepe," and it was first described in English as a "pancake of eggs." More... | |