Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, September 7, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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dabble
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Auxiliary Verbs - CouldThe modal verb "could" is most often used as a past-tense version of "can," indicating what someone or something was able to do in the past. "Could" can be used in what types of conditional sentences? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Mary CelesteIn 1872, the Mary Celeste, a brigantine merchant ship, was discovered drifting in calm seas in the Atlantic Ocean—unmanned and apparently abandoned. The crew's disappearance is considered especially unusual because the ship was seaworthy when found, its cargo was still intact, there was an ample supply of food and water on board, and there were no clear signs of foul play. The case remains one of history’s greatest maritime mysteries. What are some theories about the crew’s disappearance? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Pro Football Hall of Fame Opens in Canton, Ohio (1963)Although professional American football was played as early as 1895, it was not until 1920 that national organization began, with the formation of the American Professional Football Association in Canton, Ohio. In 1922, the association was renamed the National Football League (NFL). Originally the home of the former professional team known as the Canton Bulldogs, Canton was later selected as the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Which NFL team has had the most hall of famers? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses (1860)A farm worker for most of her life, Moses turned to painting only after arthritis had forced her to give up embroidery. Her paintings were first displayed in a drugstore when she was 78, but her exhibitions soon became so popular that they broke attendance records around the world. Moses painted simple scenes of farm life and produced thousands of them despite her late start. Her works now hang in some of America's most prestigious museums and galleries. Who "discovered" her paintings? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There are books of which the backs and covers are by far the best parts.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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make (oneself or something) ready (for someone or something)— To become or make something prepared for something or someone. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Festival of Piedigrotta (2021)Held in Naples, Italy, in September, the Festival of Piedigrotta is known primarily for its noise and gaiety. According to one legend, it commemorates the destruction in 44 CE of a site that had formerly been the scene of pagan orgies, and the building of a chapel in its place. A second explanation is that the chapel was built in 1356 after the Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared to a priest, a nun, and a man named Peter and ordered its construction. In any case, the festival is a particularly joyful one, with processions, fireworks, and some very unusual puppet shows. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: wastewastrel - Pronounced WAYS-trul, it is either a wasteful or worthless person, derived from the verb "waste," from Latin vastus, "desert, waste." More... bratwurst - From German Brat, "meat without waste," and Wurst, "sausage." More... eat your heart out - Goes back as far as Diogenes Laertius, who credited Pythagoras with saying "Do not eat your heart"—meaning "Don't waste your life worrying about something"—2,500 years ago. More... sullage - Waste from household sinks, showers, and baths—but not toilets; it also figuratively means filth or refuse. More... | |