Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, October 10, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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orthogonal
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Modal VerbsA modal auxiliary verb is used to change the meaning of other verbs (commonly known as main verbs) by expressing modality—that is, asserting (or denying) possibility, likelihood, ability, permission, obligation, or future intention. What are the nine "true" modal auxiliary verbs? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Boredom: What is it?Boredom is a condition that has been described by psychologists as arising not from a lack of things to do but from an inability to latch on mentally to a specific activity. Often viewed as a trivial nuisance to be escaped by sleeping, daydreaming, or participating in a new activity, it has been linked to a range of psychological, educational, and social problems. The first recorded use of the word "boredom" is in Dickens's Bleak House, written in 1852. What are the 3 types of boredom? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 United Air Lines Chesterton Crash (1933)In 1933, a Boeing 247 operated by United Air Lines exploded mid-flight and crashed near Chesterton, Indiana. The crash killed all seven people aboard, including four passengers and three crew members. Investigators concluded that a bomb caused the explosion, making this the first proven act of air sabotage in the history of commercial aviation. No suspect has ever been identified or charged in the incident. How did investigators determine that a bomb caused the explosion? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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.jpg) Thelonious Monk (1917)One of the key innovators of modern jazz, Monk worked as a pianist in the early 1940s at Minton's Playhouse and other clubs where the rudiments of the new jazz style were being developed. Known for his highly idiosyncratic, percussive playing, he performed with many notable jazz musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, before recording under his own name beginning in 1947. Monk is one of only five jazz musicians to have been featured on the cover of Time magazine. Who are the other four? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A total abstainer is one who abstains from everything but abstention, and especially from inactivity in the affairs of others.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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derring-do— Heroic, brave, or daring deeds or spirit, especially when referring to swordplay or other action-adventure scenarios. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Double Tenth Day (2019)Double Tenth Day is a national holiday in Taiwan to commemorate the Chinese Revolution of October 10, 1911. The revolt marked the end of the Ching, or Qing, Dynasty that had been established in 1644 by the Manchus, and it led to the founding of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. For several weeks before Double Tenth Day, the plaza in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei is illuminated. Here there are massive parades and rallies on the holiday, displays of martial arts, folk dancing, and other cultural activities. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spheregreat circle - Any circle on the surface of a sphere that lies on a plane through its center, or a circle that divides into two equal parts—as the Equator. More... quadrant - A quarter of a circle or sphere. More... rhumb line - A line on a sphere that cuts all meridians at the same angle; the path taken by a ship or plane that maintains a constant compass direction. More... diameter - From Greek, meaning "measure through" (a circle or sphere, etc.). More... | |