Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, May 8, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Prepositional PhrasesA prepositional phrase is made up of at least a preposition and its object, which can be a noun, pronoun, or a noun phrase. What is an adjectival prepositional phrase? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Clinical LycanthropyA rare psychiatric syndrome involving the delusion that one can or has transformed into an animal, clinical lycanthropy derives its name from the mythical belief that some humans have the capacity assume the physical characteristics of a wolf, an ability known as lycanthropy. In clinical lycanthropy, patients report transforming into a variety of creatures; thus, the condition is sometimes referred to as zoanthropy. What areas of the brain have been linked to the development of this condition? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Coca-Cola Hits the Market as a Health Tonic (1886)At a time when soda fountains were popular in the US due to the widespread belief that carbonated water was good for the health, American pharmacist John Pemberton came up with his own formula for a health tonic. Among its ingredients were cocaine, derived from the coca leaf, and caffeine, derived from the kola nut, leading to the name Coca-Cola. It was initially sold as a patent medicine for five cents a glass. What serious ailments did Pemberton claim Coca-Cola had the power to cure? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 William Walker (1824)Though he was a qualified doctor, lawyer, and journalist by the time he was 24, Walker had his sights set on a more adventurous career path. In 1853, he attempted but failed to seize and govern the Mexican province of Lower California. Undeterred, he led a small band of mercenaries to Nicaragua two years later, overthrew the government, and briefly served as president before being ousted. Despite his earlier failures, he tried once more to conquer Central America in 1860. What happened? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A fool with a heart and no brains is just as unhappy as a fool with brains and no heart.Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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in favor (with someone)— Highly regarded (by someone); widely accepted or enjoyed (by someone). Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Helston Flora Day (2021)According to legend, there was a large stone that blocked off the entrance to hell. One night Satan tried to steal the stone; on his way through Cornwall, England, he was intercepted by the Archangel Michael, who forced him to drop the stone and flee. The town where he dropped it was called Helston (from Hellstone). The people of Helston continue to celebrate the Archangel's victory with the Helston Flora Day. The day's festivities include the "Furry dance," which is performed in the streets by men in top hats and women in fancy dresses, and a trip to the woods in search of flowers and leaves. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: trade nametrade name - A name with the status of a trademark. More... trademark - A name, symbol, or other depiction identifying a product. The first trademarks were stamps and symbols used by ancient cultures to indicate who had made goods; a trade name is the name of the maker, not the product, but has the status of a trademark. More... Ping-Pong - A trade name for table tennis, invented as an echoic term for the sound of the ball. More... Sheetrock, drywall, wall board - Sheetrock is a trade name for drywall or wall board—pre-hardened plaster of Paris (gypsum) sold in large sheets and used as a wall surface in building construction. More... | |