Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, September 13, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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torpid
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Idioms that End with PrepositionsIdioms that end with prepositions are typically phrasal verbs and consist of a verb followed by either a preposition, a particle, or a particle with a preposition. How is this type of prepositional idiom used in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 KitesThe kite is an aircraft restrained by a towline that derives its lift from the aerodynamic action of the wind flowing across it. The apparatus consists of a stabilizing tail and light framework across which paper or thin material is stretched. It has been popular in China and East Asia for centuries. In the 18th century, Alexander Wilson used kites to obtain meteorological readings, and Benjamin Franklin used them to study lightning. Where is kite fighting a popular activity? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Michelangelo Begins Carving His Statue of David (1501)Begun when the artist was just 26 years old and completed three years later, Michelangelo's David is considered the prime example of the Renaissance ideal of perfect humanity and a masterpiece of sculpture. The 17-ft (5.2-m) marble figure differs from other representations of David in that he appears tense and is not carrying the head of the slain Goliath. A replica of David on display in London's Victoria and Albert Museum has a detachable fig-leaf that was made for whose visit? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Samuel "Uncle Sam" Wilson (1766)Wilson was an American Revolutionary War veteran who owned a meatpacking plant in Troy, New York. He provided beef to the army during the War of 1812 in barrels stamped "US," indicating that they were US property. According to some sources, the soldiers began joking that the initials stood for "Uncle Sam," referring to Wilson, unwittingly inventing the character that would soon come into widespread use as a symbol of the US government. What resolution regarding Wilson did Congress pass in 1961? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Would not love see returning penitence afar off, and fall on its neck and kiss it?George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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candle in the wind— Something that is particularly vulnerable, weak, fragile, or precarious and likely to fail, perish, or be eliminated at any moment. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Eastern States Exposition (2017)Also known as The Big E, the Eastern States Exposition is an agricultural and industrial fair in West Springfield, Massachusetts, sponsored by all six New England states. The exposition is known for its Avenue of the States, where each New England state has erected a permanent replica of its original State House. The livestock show is the largest in the East, and the Eastern States Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious equestrian events in the country. The exposition also features a parade, a circus, and international exhibits. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poetryfound poem - A passage within prose that unintentionally reads like poetry. More... stich - A line of poetry. More... free verse - Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter. More... metrophobia - The fear of poetry. More... | |