Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, February 7, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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fritter
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming Irregular PluralsThere are some nouns that are irregular and do not adhere to spelling rules. "Child" is an irregular plural noun. Can you name any others? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Simple MachinesPractically every machine in existence incorporates one or more simple machines, elementary mechanical devices that change the magnitude or the direction of a force. These include the lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw. The idea of the "simple machine" originated with the Greek philosopher Archimedes around the 3rd century BCE, but it was not until 1600 that scientists showed that simple machines only transform energy and do not create it. Who figured this out? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Maastricht Treaty Establishes the European Union (1992)The history of the European Union (EU) began soon after World War II, when there developed in Europe a strong revulsion against national rivalries and parochial loyalties. European strength and security seemed to lie in a united Europe, and the European Coal and Steel Company—established in 1952—was the first attempt at accomplishing such a union. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty, formally the Treaty on European Union, officially established the EU. How many member states does the EU have? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Charles Dickens (1812)When Dickens was a boy, his father was placed in debtors' prison. As a result, he was withdrawn from school and forced to work in a factory—an experience that deeply influenced his future writings. Now regarded as one of the world's most popular, prolific, and skilled novelists, Dickens began his literary career as a reporter, developing an encyclopedic knowledge of London and the ability to vividly describe people and everyday life. How long did it take him to write A Christmas Carol? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears.Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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arm candy— An especially attractive person who acts as a romantic escort or date to social events, but who is not romantically attached to or involved with the person he or she is accompanying. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Grenada Independence Day (2023)This is a national holiday commemorating Grenada's independence from Britain on this day in 1974. Britain had held the island since the 18th century, when France ceded it under the Treaty of Paris. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: offerbid - Derives from Old English beodan, "to offer or command." More... carrot-and-stick - Refers to an offer of reward countered by the threat of punishment. More... blind fold - Worn by the Greek statue for justice so she cannot see the bribes being offered to her, hence, blind justice. More... cast pearls before swine - To offer something valuable to someone who does not appreciate it. More... | |