Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, May 25, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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ebullience
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining PhrasesPhrases are groups of two or more words that work together to perform a single grammatical function in a sentence. How do phrases differ from clauses? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 ZaalZaal is a legendary warrior in the Persian Shahnameh, or Book of Kings. Born an albino, he is abandoned on a mountain, where he is found by a giant phoenix-like bird, the Simurgh, that takes him to her nest and raises him. Years later, his father—a king—reclaims him. The Simurgh is heartbroken at Zaal's departure and gives him three feathers for protection. He marries a princess descended from an evil king and fathers the great Persian hero Rostam. When does Zaal use the feathers? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Star Wars Is Released (1977)After its release in 1977, Star Wars became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two film sequels and three prequels as well as myriad novels, video games, and comic books. The films, which grossed over $4 billion, chronicle Luke Skywalker's quest to help the rebels defeat an evil empire and iconic villain Darth Vader. What US president's proposed strategic defense system against nuclear attacks, which was to include space-based lasers, was derisively dubbed "Star Wars"? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sir Ian McKellen (1939)McKellen is an English star of stage and screen, noted for his performances in everything from Shakespearean works to modern theater to popular fantasy and science fiction. He began his professional acting career in the 1960s, and has worked steadily ever since. His recent roles in blockbuster films such as The Lord of the Rings and X-Men have earned him widespread recognition and introduced him to a new generation of fans. When was McKellen knighted? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Compromise, n.: Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due.Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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after a while— Following a certain period of time, usually one that is relatively short. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Moving Day (Scotland) (2023)The idea of packing up one's belongings and changing residences on a particular day has been a tradition in many countries. In Scotland, it was called Flitting Day and took place on May 25. The decision of whether to "sit or flit" was up to the tenant, but "flitting" seemed to be more common. On Flitting Day, they had to vacate their houses by noon, which often meant a great upheaval for the family during the preceding day or two. Apparently, the novelty value of flitting outweighed the boredom of sitting. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: musical instrumentpiano word - One in which all of its letters can be played as notes on a musical instrument (e.g. cabbage). More... cord, chord - Cord comes from Greek khorde, "gut, string of a musical instrument," and chord is a refashioning of cord. More... sweet potato - An informal name for the ocarina, a musical instrument. More... tone color - The same as timbre, the quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or musical instrument from another. More... | |