Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, July 6, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Ending a Sentence with a PrepositionNearly every grammar guide agrees that it is acceptable and often more correct to end a sentence with a dangling preposition than to rewrite the sentence specifically to avoid it. Why? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Shell ShockDuring World War I, shell shock was considered a psychiatric illness resulting from injury to the nerves during combat. The condition is now known as combat stress reaction, a military term used to categorize a range of behaviors resulting from the stresses of battle. Symptoms include fatigue, slowed reaction time, indecision, disconnection from one's surroundings, and the inability to prioritize. Why did some argue during the Vietnam War that distressed soldiers should be sent back to combat? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Louis Pasteur Successfully Tests His Rabies Vaccine (1885)Pasteur was a pioneer in the field of germ theory. In 1881, the inventor of pasteurization perfected a way to isolate and weaken germs, and he went on to develop a vaccine against anthrax in sheep. He soon turned his attention to researching rabies. In 1885, he inoculated a 9-year-old boy who had been badly mauled by a rabid dog. The vaccine likely prevented the boy from contracting rabies, which then meant certain death. How did Pasteur's chickens accidentally get vaccinated against cholera? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Merv Griffin (1925)Originally a singer and nightclub performer, Griffin first achieved wider fame in the early 1950s with the hit song I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. He then shifted his focus to television, hosting The Merv Griffin Show from 1965 to 1986. He created the popular game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! and wrote the latter's famous theme song. Later, he invested in casinos, resorts, and hotels. What humorous epitaph was inscribed on his gravestone? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Churchmen in peace and quiet pray to Heaven for the welfare of the world, but we soldiers and knights carry into effect what they pray for...Thus are we God's ministers on earth and the arms by which his justice is done therein.Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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does (exactly) what it says on the tin— (Something) does precisely what it claims or is supposed to do. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Gettysburg Civil War Heritage Days (2017)The Battle of Gettysburg on July 1–3, 1863, marked a turning point in the American Civil War. The battle did not end the war, but the Confederate army was turned back, and it never recovered from its losses. With 51,000 casualties and 5,000 dead horses, it ranks as the bloodiest battle in American history. Every year since 1983 the anniversary of the battle has been commemorated at the Gettysburg National Military Park. There are band concerts, a Civil War battle reenactment, lectures by nationally known historians, and a Civil War collectors' show. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rightscharter - Confers powers and rights from the state or an organization to people, local chapters, or corporations. More... devolution - A passing down from stage to stage or the passing of property, rights, or authority from one person to another; it implies moving backward. More... perk - A special privilege or right, it is an abbreviation of perquisite. More... prejudice - Originally meant harm or injury caused to a person resulting from a disregard for their rights; it is from Latin, meaning "to judge beforehand." More... | |
| In the News | |
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'Welcome to Jupiter!' NASA's Juno Space Probe Arrives at Giant PlanetNASA says it has received a signal from 540 million miles across the solar system, confirming its Juno spacecraft has successfully started orbiting Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. "Welcome to Jupiter!" flashed on screens at mission control at ... More... | |