Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, June 30, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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low-key
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Common and Proper NounsCommon nouns identify general, nonspecific people, places, or things. A proper noun names someone or something that is one of a kind, which is signified by the use of what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The ParachuteThe parachute was conceived by the 14th century, but practical demonstrations began only in the 1780s in France. The first successful parachute descent from a great height occurred in 1797, when André-Jacques Garnerin made a 3,200-ft (1,000-m) exhibition jump from a balloon. In 1802, he made an 8,000-ft (2,400-m) jump. Early parachutes were made of canvas, but this was later replaced by silk and then nylon and Kevlar. What is the world record for the highest parachute jump and longest free-fall? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Mysterious Beast of Gévaudan Kills Its First Victim (1764)From 1764 to 1767, the people of Gévaudan, France, reported dozens of sightings of a man-eating, wolf-like creature now known as the Beast of From 1764 to 1767, the people of Gévaudan, France, reported dozens of sightings of a man-eating, wolf-like creature now known as the Beast of Gévaudan. According to many accounts, the beast—consistently described as having large teeth and an immense tail—killed some 100 people, prompting King Louis XV to send hunters to slay it. Some stories say a local hunter shot the beast, possibly with silver bullets. According to one theory, what exotic-but-real creature may have been behind the attacks? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Paul François Jean Nicolas, Vicomte de Barras (1755)Barras was a Provençal nobleman who became disenchanted with the royal regime and joined the French Revolution. When, after the fall of the monarchy, a war dictatorship replaced it, Barras played a key role in overthrowing Maximilien Robespierre and ending the Reign of Terror. Eventually given command of the army of the interior and the police, he suppressed a royalist uprising in 1795 by turning the troops over to a young officer in whose marriage he later played a role. Who was this officer? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Accursed be he that first invented war.Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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until all hours (of the day and night)— Until a very late hour of the night or early hour of the morning. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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_to_Puerto_San_Jo.jpg) Guatemala Army Day (2022)Guatemala's Liberal Revolution, which called for the end of the dictatorship of Vicente Cerna, culminated with a revolt in Guatemala City on June 30, 1871. Originally known as Revolution Day, the anniversary of the revolt became Día del Ejército (Army Day), an official holiday recognizing the service of the armed forces. It has been marked over the years by annual parades, usually in Guatemala City. In 2007, protests against the parade spawned violence in the streets, and the ongoing resistance compelled the government to cancel the official parade the following year. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: uproardonnybrook - Donnybrook is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, once famous for its annual fair and now used to describe a scene of uproar or disorder. More... hurly-burly - Turmoil or an uproar. More... rum - Once known as rumbo, rumbowling, rumbustion, or rumbullion—from a Devonshire word meaning "uproar." More... stampede - From Mexican Spanish estampida, "crash, uproar." More... | |