Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, April 23, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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smarmy
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Mixed ConditionalA very commonly used "fifth" conditional is what's known as the "mixed conditional," which is a cross between the third conditional and the second. What are the two ways to form a mixed conditional? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ChameleonsChameleons have laterally flattened bodies and bulging, independently rotating eyes. They are variously ornamented with crests, horns, and spines. They feed chiefly on insects and are unique among lizards in possessing long, sticky tongues with which they capture their prey. Their changes in skin color are under hormonal and nervous control and are not affected by the color of the background but by stimuli such as light, temperature, and emotion. "Chameleon" is derived from what Greek words? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 First Video Uploaded to YouTube (2005)One of the most well-known examples of meteoric success on the Internet, the highly popular video sharing website YouTube was founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim in 2005. The next year, it was acquired by Google for $1.65 billion. Within a few years, more than 25 quadrillion bytes of videos were being streamed from the site each month from myriad sources, amateur and professional alike. However, it all started with a single video, uploaded in April 2005, titled what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Stephen A. Douglas (1813)Short and heavyset, Douglas was dubbed "the Little Giant" for his oratorical skill. In 1858, he engaged in a number of widely publicized debates with Abraham Lincoln in a close contest for the Senate seat in Illinois. The Democrats nominated Douglas for president in 1860, but a splinter group of Southerners chose a different nominee, which divided the Democratic vote and gave the presidency to Lincoln. What extraordinary gesture was Douglas said to have offered at Lincoln's inauguration in 1861? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors!Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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mouth-breathing— (used before a noun) Dimwitted, foolish, or stupid; of low or stunted intelligence. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Moors and Christians Fiesta (2018)Moors and Christians fiestas are celebrated all over Spain, but the Fiesta of Alcoy is one of the most colorful. Coinciding with the feast day of St. George, it commemorates the victory of Christians over the Moorish leader al-Azraq in 1276. The fiesta begins on the morning of April 22 with the entry of the Christians; the Moors arrive in the afternoon, dressed in Oriental costumes. On April 23, the relic of St. George is carried in procession to the parish church. On the third day, the battle is reenacted, and an apparition of St. George appears on the battlements of the castle. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: possessionhave - Coming through Proto-Germanic khaben, it was from Indo-European kap-, meaning "possession." More... jouisance - Also spelled jouissance, it is another word for "enjoyment" or "possession or use of something." More... tenement - First meant "holding as a possession." More... white elephant - The name of this animal, which has an enormous appetite, has come to mean "useless, expensive possession"—or a possession that is more trouble than it is worth. More... | |
| In the News | |
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What Does 170-Year-Old Champagne Taste Like?Researchers have uncovered a shipwrecked trove of sugary, 19th century champagne and have revealed new details about centuries-old ways of making wine. The shipwreck... More... | |