Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, May 13, 2017)Word of the Day | |||||||
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Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Linking Verbs vs. Action VerbsThe verbs "be," "seem," and "become" are always used as linking verbs (except when "be" is an auxiliary verb). However, the other linking verbs all have the capacity to behave as action verbs in a sentence. Sometimes it is tricky to know whether a verb is functioning as a linking verb or as an action verb, but there are ways that we can be sure. What are they? More... |
Article of the Day | |
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PetrosomatoglyphsPetrosomatoglyphs are naturally-occurring or man-made representations of human or animal body parts that are found incised in rock. Footprints are the most common form of petrosomatoglyph. The ancient images, some of which date back to megalithic times, were once considered important symbols and were used in both religious and secular ceremonies. Throughout history, these imprints have been attributed to numerous figures, including the devil, Jesus, the prophet Mohammed, and what legendary king? More... |
This Day in History | |
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Children Report Visions of the Virgin Mary in Fátima, Portugal (1917)In 1917, three children were herding sheep in Fátima when, according to their story, the Virgin Mary appeared to them. They claimed that she continued to appear to them on the 13th of every month, relaying messages and prophesies. Word of the visions spread, and at one point, the children were arrested. Then, on October 13, thousands reported seeing the sun spin in the sky near Fátima, which became a pilgrimage site. Two of the children died before the age of 12. What happened to the third? More... |
Today's Birthday | |
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Sir Ronald Ross (1857)Born and raised in India, English physician Ronald Ross joined the Indian Medical Service after completing medical school and undertook the study of malaria, then a disease that was not well understood. After years of research, he demonstrated the malarial parasite, Plasmodium, in the stomach of the Anopheles mosquito, identifying the disease's mechanism of transmission. His discoveries earned him a Nobel Prize in 1902. When is World Mosquito Day, instituted by Ross, observed? More... |
Quotation of the Day | |
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Belladonna, n.: In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues. Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914) |
Idiom of the Day | |
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a sly dog— Someone who, through cunning, devious, or dishonest means, achieves a fortuitous outcome. More... |
Today's Holiday | |
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Lemuralia (2023)In ancient Rome, the lemures were the ghosts of the family's dead, who were considered to be troublesome and therefore had to be exorcized on a regular basis. The Lemuralia, or Lemuria, was a yearly festival held on the 9th, 11th, and 13th of May to get rid of the lemures. Participants walked barefoot, cleansed their hands three times, and threw black beans behind them nine times to appease the spirits of the dead. On the third day of the festival, a merchants' festival was held to ensure a prosperous year for business. More... |
Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: wiremuselet - The wire that holds a champagne cork in place. More... reinforced concrete - Has wire or metal bars embedded to increase its tensile strength. More... down to the wire - Alludes to the imaginary wire at the finish line in a horse race. More... under the wire - Meaning "just in time," it is also from horse racing. More... |