Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, May 29, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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convolute
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Declarative Sentences in the Past IndicativeVerbs in the past indicative describe things that have happened or are believed to have happened at some point in the past. In declarative sentences in the past indicative, the past simple tense and past perfect tense describe something that finished in the past. What do the past continuous tense and past perfect continuous tense describe? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Blast FurnaceBlast furnaces are apparatuses that extract metal from ore by removing oxygen from metal oxide. These tall, cylindrical smelting furnaces are fed from the top with a mix of ore, coke, and a flux, commonly limestone, while preheated compressed air is introduced under pressure from the bottom. As the contents become molten, the metal sinks and impurities, called slag, float to the top. Blast furnaces were first used in China more than 2,000 years ago. When did they appear in Europe? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Charles II of England Restored to Throne (1660)After Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658, the English republican experiment soon faltered. A strong reaction set in against Puritan supremacy and military control, and opinion favored recalling the exiled king. Charles II was persuaded to issue the Declaration of Breda, granting amnesty to former enemies of the house of Stuart, and return to England. As king, Charles reopened the country's theaters, which Cromwell's Puritanical government had closed, and encouraged what bawdy theatrical genre? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Oswald Spengler (1880)Spengler was a German historian and philosopher whose major work, The Decline of the West, brought him worldwide fame. In it, he contends that every civilization passes through a life cycle, blossoming and decaying like a natural organism, and that Western culture has passed its creative stage and entered the period of decline. He was ostracized after 1933 for refusing to support Nazi ideas of racial superiority. What major historic event occurred on the ninth anniversary of his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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all sizzle and no steak— Disappointing or anticlimactic. Having an exciting, promising, important, or aggrandizing buildup that proves to be unwarranted. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Glyndebourne Festival Opera (2023)Now considered one of the most prestigious opera festivals in the world, the Glyndebourne Festival was founded in 1934 by music lover John Christie and his wife, Audrey Mildmay. During the current 11-week season, several full-length operas are presented, at least one of which is by Mozart. The London Philharmonic Orchestra has been the main ensemble since 1964. The performances start in the late afternoon, and opera-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner so they can eat outdoors and enjoy the grounds during the 85-minute intermission. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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