Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, April 6, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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inconstancy
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Modal Auxiliary VerbsA modal auxiliary verb is used to change the meaning of other verbs by expressing modality—that is, asserting (or denying) possibility, likelihood, ability, permission, obligation, or future intention. What are modal verbs unable to do? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Mary RoseThe Mary Rose was an English warship that sank mysteriously—and probably accidentally—during a battle in 1545. The ship was leading an attack on an invading French fleet when, quite suddenly, it heeled over to one side and sank with about 400 crew members on board. It was rediscovered in 1971. When it was raised in 1982, there were still 92 complete skeletons inside. Maritime researchers believe that it probably sank because the sailors failed to do what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (1830)Shortly after Joseph Smith published the Book of Mormon in 1830, he officially founded The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints—also known as the Mormon Church—in Fayette, New York. The church flourished but was forced to relocate frequently. It was violently expelled from Missouri, and a mob killed Smith in Illinois in 1844. His successor, Brigham Young, led followers to Utah three years later. Tensions with the US government continued to escalate, culminating in what war? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan (1927)Mulligan was an important baritone saxophonist and one of the best-known exponents of cool jazz, a delicate, understated offshoot of bebop. He began his career in the mid-1940s as an arranger for Gene Krupa and Claude Thornhill and played on the historic Miles Davis nonet recordings in 1949. He gained considerable success with the quartet he formed with Chet Baker in 1952, and he led ensembles of various sizes thereafter. How old was he when he began earning money for his musical arrangements? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There is sorrow enough in the natural wayFrom men and women to fill our day; But when we are certain of sorrow in store, Why do we always arrange for more? Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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like piffy on a rock bun— Conspicuous but ignored or left out, especially from a group or activity. (A "rock bun" or "rock cake" is a type of hard cake with currants; what "piffy" refers to is unknown.) Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Rara (2020)In Haiti, Carnival is known as Rara for the groups of people who come down from the hills to dance in processions throughout Lent and particularly during Easter Week. It begins by calling on Legba, who appears as Carrefour, the guardian of thresholds and crossroads. Each Rara band consists of a musical group, a band chief, a queen with attendants, a women's choir, and vendors selling food. The group's leader often dresses like a jester and twirls a long baton known as a jonc. Rara has deep ties with Voodoo and its resemblance to other Carnival celebrations is largely superficial. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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