Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, September 16, 2015)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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despondency
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Articles and Other Parts of SpeechArticles always modify nouns. An article can also precede a noun phrase, even if it begins with an adjective or an adverb. However, articles cannot precede what part of speech? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Sea SpongesSponges are sessile, mostly marine animals from the phylum Porifera. Until the 18th century, scientists classified them as plants because they demonstrated so little movement. More than 4,500 living species, which reproduce through both sexual and asexual means, have been documented. Sponges are colonial in nature, living in groups that may grow to 5 feet (150 cm) in diameter. In common usage, the term "sponge" refers to what part of this aquatic animal? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Montreal Protocol Signed to Protect the Ozone Layer (1987)The Montreal Protocol was enacted in response to the discovery that the ozone layer—which shields life on Earth from harmful radiation—was diminishing. Signed by the majority of the world's nations, the treaty mandates the decreased use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and has been amended several times based on new scientific data. By 1993, CFC production had dropped dramatically. If the agreement is followed, the ozone layer is expected to recover by what year? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 B.B. King (1925)A singer and guitarist born into a sharecropping family in the Mississippi Delta region of the US, King began playing guitar at 12. He worked as a radio DJ in Memphis before coming to prominence as a guitarist in 1952. He has toured widely, averaging over 300 shows a year for nearly 30 years. King famously named his guitar Lucille after a woman who inspired a fight at one of his concerts that ended with the venue burning down. King's first name is Riley. What does B.B. stand for? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never appear.Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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not have all day— To be in a rush; to not have much or any time to spare. Usually used in the present tense. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Papua New Guinea Independence Day (2020)This national holiday celebrates Papua New Guinea's independence on this day in 1975. In the late 19th century, Germany laid claim to the northeastern section of the island, while Britain ruled the southeastern section. Britain left its section to Australia in 1902, which eventually administered the whole area until independence, though it is still part of the British Commonwealth. In 2000, Papua New Guinea celebrated its silver (25th) anniversary of independence with a flag-raising ceremony, a parade, and musical and dance performances in the capital city, Port Moresby. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: perfectA-OK - Astronauts on the Mercury Project in 1961 popularized A-OK, meaning "excellent, perfect"; it was coined by blending the adjective "A," as in A-one or A1, meaning "first-class," with "OK." More... palinoia - The compulsive repetition of an act until it is perfect. More... parfait - Literally French for "perfect." More... perfect binding - A book bound by gluing instead of sewing. More... | |