Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, October 9, 2016)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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balladeer
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Emphasizing Duration with the Present Perfect ContinuousThe present perfect continuous is especially useful for putting emphasis on the length of time that has passed while something is happening. What is the present perfect continuous verb in the following sentence? "They have been studying for three weeks for this exam." More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Old Summer PalaceKnown in China as the Gardens of Perfect Clarity, the Old Summer Palace was a complex of palaces and gardens built in the 18th and early 19th centuries near the walls of Beijing. Hundreds of invaluable Chinese art masterpieces and antiquities were stored in its halls, making the Imperial Gardens one of the largest museums in the world. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, British and French troops looted and destroyed the gardens. Why have the Chinese decided not to rebuild the complex? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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_areas_affected.JPG) The Great Hurricane of 1780 Forms (1780)The Great Hurricane of 1780 was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history. Coming during a very active hurricane season, the storm formed on October 9 and struck Barbados the next day with winds possibly exceeding 200 mph (320 km/h). It then passed over several other islands, leaving mass destruction in its wake. Thousands of deaths were reported on each island, and more than 20,000 people had died by the time the storm dissipated. How did the hurricane impact the American Revolution? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Walter O'Malley (1903)Born in New York City, O'Malley was the owner of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team from 1950 to 1979. In 1958, he moved the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and helped to coordinate the move of the New York Giants to San Francisco at a time when there were no teams west of Missouri. Though ultimately successful, the transplantation of the Dodgers made O'Malley a target of vilification by Brooklyn fans. However, some blame what powerful official for the team's move? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Though home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit answered to, in strongest conjuration.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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like death warmed up— In a state or appearance of extreme ill health. (Often preceded by "look" or "feel.") More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Madison County Covered Bridge Festival (2016)The Madison County Covered Bridge Festival takes place annually on the second weekend in October in and around Winterset, Iowa. The town is located in Madison County, which is noted for its historic wooden covered bridges. In addition to bridge tours, the weekend's festivities include demonstrations of such traditional activities as sheep shearing, wool spinning, and soap making. Entertainment includes barbershop quartets, square dancers, and cloggers, while quilts and antiques are on display. A parade of antique cars is a highlight of the weekend. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: ridingdavering - Riding or walking in a dazed condition. More... dressage - The art of riding and training horses, from French dresser, "to train." More... road - First meant "riding" or "hostile incursion on horseback"—a sense preserved in "inroads." More... jounce - To move roughly or violently up and down, as when one is riding a horse. More... | |