Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, November 23, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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miscellanea
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Comparative Adverbs from One-Syllable AdverbsThere are simple rules that tell us which method of creating comparative adverbs is correct. In general, when the adverb has only one syllable, how do we make it comparative? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 What is Light?Light is any wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, though the word is commonly used to refer to the visible light spectrum. The human eye typically perceives electromagnetic wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers, interpreting them as a range of colors from red to violet. Light is understood to exhibit both particle and wave properties, and the fundamental particle, or quantum, of light is called the photon. What is the scientific study of light called? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The People's Republic of China Joins the UN Security Council (1971)The 1949 Communist takeover of mainland China created the People's Republic of China (PRC). The former government, known as the Republic of China (ROC), retained control only of Taiwan and outlying islands. However, for the next 22 years, the ROC also held onto its seat in the UN, representing the mainland it no longer controlled. UN Resolution 2758 finally transferred China's seat to representatives of the PRC. Since then, the ROC has repeatedly applied to rejoin the UN under what names? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Franklin Pierce (1804)In 1852, the Democratic party of the US was split into hostile factions, none of which could muster sufficient strength to secure the presidential nomination. The charming and unobjectionable Pierce was nominated as a compromise candidate. He unexpectedly trounced his opposition in the general election despite being largely unknown beforehand. However, Pierce proved unable to mediate slavery-related political troubles. As a testament to his unpopularity, he was the first US president to do what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Tolerance is a very dull virtue. It is boring. Unlike love, it has always had a bad press. It is negative. It merely means putting up with people, being able to stand things.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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land of plenty— A fictional or imagined utopian place where there is an abundance of everything needed to survive and flourish. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Repudiation Day (2020)The Stamp Act of 1765 forced the American colonies to pay a tax on various official documents and publications, such as legal papers, liquor permits, lawyers' licenses, and school diplomas. In defiance of the new law, the court of Frederick County, Maryland, declared that it would carry on its business without the tax stamps required by the Act. The date on which the Stamp Act was repudiated, November 23, has been observed for many years as a half-holiday in Frederick County to commemorate this. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: ranchbiscuit shooter - A waitress at a lunch counter or a cook on a ranch. More... dude, dude ranch - A dude is a city-dweller, especially one vacationing on a ranch—hence, dude ranch. More... ranch dressing - A creamy buttermilk-based dressing with garlic and other spices and herbs, developed at Hidden Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara in the 1950s. More... ranch - From Spanish rancho, "group of persons eating together." More... | |