Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, March 28, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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plectrum
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Noun Phrases of Varying LengthNoun phrases can be as short as two words, or they can be longer and have many words. The number of words in a phrase does not affect its status as a noun phrase, so long as it functions as what? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Leaning Tower of PisaIn 1173, construction began on the final building of the cathedral complex in Pisa, Italy. The bell tower was designed to stand 185 feet (56 m) tall, but uneven settling of its foundation caused its 5.5-degree lean. Work was suspended several times, but the structure was still leaning upon completion in the 14th century. The tower's tilt only worsened over time, prompting a recent strengthening project to prevent collapse. How did the tower narrowly escape destruction during World War II? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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-2.jpg) Three Mile Island Accident (1979)Both mechanical failure and human error contributed to the 1979 failure of a nuclear reactor cooling system at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania, which led to overheating, partial melting of the reactor's uranium core, and the release of radioactive gases. Though it caused no immediate deaths or injuries, the incident increased public fears about the safety of nuclear power. What nuclear accident-themed film was released just two weeks before the incident? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Maxim Gorky (1868)Maxim Gorky was the pseudonym of Aleksey Maximovich Pyeshkov, a Russian writer considered the father of Soviet literature and the founder of the doctrine of socialist realism. Gorky's works include Mother, which became the prototype of the revolutionary novel, and his final, unfinished work—often considered his masterpiece—The Life of Klim Samgin, a panoramic, four-volume novel of Russian social conditions from 1880 to 1917. Who carried Gorky's casket at his funeral? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Death is only a launching into the region of the strange Untried; it is but the first salutation to the possibilities of the immense Remote, the Wild, the Watery, the Unshored...Herman Melville (1819-1891) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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dealbreaker— A specific issue or thing that will cause an agreement, deal, or relationship to fail or be terminated. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Teachers' Day in the Czech Republic (2023)March 28 is the birthday of Jan Amos Komensky (or John Comenius; 1592-1670), a noted educational reformer and theologian in the former Czechoslovakia. Komensky was the first person to write an illustrated textbook for children, used for teaching Latin words; he was also a proponent of compulsory education. It has been traditional for children to honor him on Teachers' Day, or Komensky Day, by bringing flowers and gifts to their teachers. The day is also observed with lectures, music, and educational activities. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: proteinalbumen, albumin - Albumen is the white of an egg, from Latin albus, "white"; albumin is a protein within the albumen. More... protein - Pronounced PRO-teen or PRO-tee-un, it comes from Greek proteios, "primary," as these compounds are essential to all living organisms. More... protoplasm - A mixture of organic and inorganic substances, such as protein and water, it is regarded as the physical basis of life. More... textured vegetable protein - A protein obtained from soy beans and made to resemble minced meat. More... | |