Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, May 2, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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scruple
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Personal pronounsA personal pronoun is a pronoun (a word that functions as and acts as a substitute for a noun or nouns) that represents a grammatical person within a sentence. The personal pronoun that is used varies depending on which four grammatical elements? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The History of Auto RacingAutomobile racing originated in France in 1894, almost immediately after the construction of the first successful petrol-fueled autos, and it appeared in the US the following year. Open-road races were banned in France in 1903, however, after they led to 8 fatalities. Today, there are several different categories of racing. In open-wheel, stock-car, and other types of circuit auto races, flags are displayed to communicate instructions to competitors. What does a black flag signify? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Dos de Mayo Uprising (1808)Shortly after Napoleon occupied Madrid, Spain, on March 23, 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against the French in the Dos de Mayo uprising, which was sparked by the attempt to move two of the Spanish king's children to France. The uprising culminated in a fierce battle that was fought in the Puerta del Sol, the city's central square. The French suppressed the rebellion and, in reprisal, shot hundreds of citizens the following day. What painter immortalized the events of that day? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Catherine II of Russia (1729)Catherine II was empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. The daughter of a German prince, she was chosen at 14 to be the wife of the future czar, Peter III. In 1762, conspirators led by her lover staged a coup and proclaimed her empress. Peter was murdered shortly thereafter. As czarina, she increased Russia's power by skillful diplomacy and by extending its frontiers into central Europe. She was a patron of the arts and corresponded with many of the prominent minds of her era, including whom? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.Willa Cather (1873-1947) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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curl (one's) lip— To sneer at something. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Festival of Sant' Efisio (2018)The Sagra di Sant' Efisio at Cagliari, in Sardinia, Italy, commemorates the martyrdom of a third-century Roman general who was converted to Christianity and credited with saving the town from the plague. On May 1, a procession accompanies a statue of St. Efisio through the streets of Cagliari to the church of Pula, the town where he suffered martyrdom. Three days later the statue returns to Cagliari. Several thousand pilgrims, wearing costumes that date from the 17th century and earlier, take part in the procession, which culminates in a parade down Cagliari's main avenue. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: moundcauseway - A raised path, road, or way across a wet place or stretch of water—based on causey, "a mound, embankment, or dam to retain water." More... tumulus, barrow - A tumulus is the mound of earth placed over a tomb, synonymous with barrow. More... hill of beans - Refers to the planting practice of placing the seeds in clumps in a little mound (hill) of soil. More... | |