Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, November 23, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
monotonous
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Using Subordinating ConjunctionsA subordinating conjunction does two things: it introduces and subordinates the dependent clause (telling the reader that it's less important than the independent clause), and it explains what relationship it has to the independent clause. When we use subordinating conjunctions to join two clauses, does it matter which clause comes first? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Red River Ox CartsRed River ox carts were a vital form of transportation during the 19th-century westward expansion in the US and Canada. They carried fur to trading posts in places like St. Paul, Minnesota, and then carried supplies back to settlements along the Red River of the North, which now forms the Minnesota–North Dakota border. Built entirely of wood and animal hide—and no metal—the carts typically had two wheels, which were notorious for their constant creaking. Why couldn't their axles be greased? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 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 | |
|---|---|
 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 | |
|---|---|
 Anarchy is the sure consequence of tyranny; for no power that is not limited by laws can ever be protected by them.John Milton (1608-1674) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
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 | |
|---|---|
 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 | |
|---|---|
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... | |