Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, October 2, 2017)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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swarm
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using "May" to Ask for PermissionThe modal verb "may" is very commonly used to express or ask for permission to do something. While "may" is considered the most polite and formally correct option when asking for permission, what other modal verbs can be used? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The BarmakidsThe Barmakids were a noble Persian family who attained great power under the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad in the 8th century. Often serving as viziers and holding other influential roles, the Barmakids were patrons of the sciences and are credited with establishing Baghdad's first paper mill. However, by the start of the 9th century, the family's power and status was in decline and many of its members were imprisoned or executed. The Barmakids are mentioned in what famous stories? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Twilight Zone Premieres on CBS (1959)A classic science-fiction show that ran for just five years, The Twilight Zone was created by veteran television writer Rod Serling. More than half of its 155 unrelated episodes were written or co-written by Serling, who also narrated each half-hour episode with his trademark deadpan. The show often starred soon-to-be-famous actors such as William Shatner and Robert Redford. Many episodes featured frightening or ironic plot twists. What were some of the show's most celebrated episodes? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (1890)Marx and his brothers entered show business with their mother as a vaudeville act in the early 1900s. Later in his career, he enjoyed success as host of the TV game show You Bet Your Life, which was mainly a showcase for his witty banter with contestants. By the end of his career, he had become an instantly recognizable cultural institution who was lauded by individuals as disparate as Johnny Carson and T. S. Eliot. What event that occurred three days earlier overshadowed his 1977 death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Eulogy, n.: Praise of a person who has either the advantages of wealth and power, or the consideration to be dead.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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in a/the flash of an/the eye— So quickly as to seem almost imperceptible (i.e., in the space of time it takes a person to blink). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 California Avocado Festival (2020)The California Avocado Festival is held every October in Carpinteria, California. The three-day, free event features music, arts and crafts, activities (including a golf tournament), and a kids' block party with games, face-painting, and crafts. It also celebrates the avocado. At the Avocado Expo tent, competitors vie to win the awards for best guacamole and biggest avocado. There are cooking demonstrations and a display of the largest vat of guacamole in the world. About 100,000 visitors enjoy each year's avocado celebration. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: prune | |