Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, September 12, 2021)Word of the Day | |||||||
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lassitude
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Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Perfective and Imperfective AspectThe perfective aspect highlights actions, states, or events as a whole. The imperfective aspect is used when we focus on the internal structures of an action. What is the continuous aspect? More... |
Article of the Day | |
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"The Real McCoy""The real McCoy" is an idiom used to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article," but who—or what—was McCoy? The origins of the phrase are hazy. It may have originated as a corruption of the Scottish phrase "the real MacKay." Alternately, it may have been inspired by the infamous Hatfield and McCoy family feud in the late 19th-century US. Still others trace it back to William McCoy, a Prohibition-era rumrunner who reputedly never watered down his liquor. What are other possible explanations? More... |
This Day in History | |
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Teens Stumble upon Ancient Cave Paintings in Lascaux, France (1940)In 1940, four teens uncovered a fantastic archeological site, a cave system decorated with prehistoric paintings, drawings, and engravings that have been dated to about 15,000–13,000 BCE. Many of the paintings are drawn over former works, enabling experts to trace stylistic developments over more than 1,000 years. The later paintings, featuring animals along with signs and symbols, exhibit an advanced artistic quality and technical skill. Why was the cave closed to the public in 1963? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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Maurice Chevalier (1888)Chevalier was a French actor, singer, and vaudeville entertainer known for his trademark tuxedo and straw hat. While a prisoner of war during World War I, Chevalier studied English. After the war, he began acting in the US, where he appeared in movies that helped establish the musical as a film genre. Though he put on a heavy French accent while performing in English, he actually spoke the language quite fluently with only a subtle accent. Why did his popularity dwindle during World War II? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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The most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen. Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) |
Idiom of the Day | |
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have a/the right to (something)— To have the just or legal permission, privilege, or authority to have or own something. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
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Defenders' Day (2023)Defenders' Day, a legal holiday in Maryland, celebrates the anniversary of the battle of North Point. The battle took place near Baltimore on September 12, 1814; two days later, the unsuccessful British attack on Baltimore's Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to jot down the words of "The Star-Spangled Banner." For this reason the two events are celebrated more or less in conjunction on September 12. Defenders' Day is celebrated with a number of patriotic events, including an annual mock bombardment of the fort on the weekend nearest September 12. More... |
Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: temper |