Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, January 6, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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round-shouldered
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Adjective Phrases: Attributive vs. PredicativeAdjective phrases can either be attributive or predicative. Attributive adjectives occur immediately before or after the noun they modify. What are predicative adjectives? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Japanese Spider CrabThe Japanese spider crab, Macrocheira kaempferi, is the largest living arthropod in the world. Fully grown, it can reach a leg span of almost 13 ft (4 m), a body size of up to 15 in (37 cm), and a weight of up to 44 lb (20 kg). The crab's natural habitat is on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean around Japan, at depths of several hundred meters. It is believed to have a life expectancy of up to 100 years. Why is catching Japanese spider crabs usually prohibited during springtime? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Samuel Morse Successfully Tests the Electrical Telegraph (1838)In 1832, Morse, an American painter-turned-inventor, began working on a system for transmitting messages as electrical pulses across a wire. Five years later, he was granted a patent for his electromagnetic telegraph, and he successfully tested the device a year after that. Public use of Morse's telegraph system, as well as the code he developed to represent letters and numbers as electrical pulses, began in 1844 and lasted over 100 years. What was the first message sent on the public system? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Richard II of England (1367)Richard II was perhaps the most enigmatic of the English kings, reigning from 1377 to 1399. He inherited the throne as a boy, but his uncle John of Gaunt and other nobles dominated the government, limiting his power. Taking revenge, he banished John's son, Henry, and confiscated his vast Lancastrian estates. Not long after, while Richard was away on an expedition, Henry returned and seized power. Forced to abdicate, Richard was imprisoned and died in captivity. What likely caused his death? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The value of old age depends upon the person who reaches it. To some men of early performance it is useless. To others, who are late to develop, it just enables them to finish the job.Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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look (at something) through rose-colored glasses— To assume a generally optimistic and cheerful attitude (toward something); to focus on the positive aspects (of something). Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Three Kings Day in Native American Pueblos (2025)Three Kings Day is the day for the installation of new officers and governors at most of the 19 Native American pueblos in New Mexico. The inaugural day begins with a church ceremony during which four walking canes, the symbols of authority, are passed on to the new governor. The governor is honored with a dance, which starts in mid-morning and is usually some form of an animal dance—often the Eagle, Elk, Buffalo, and Deer dances. Spirited and animated, they are considered a form of prayer. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: wanderingevagation - Means mental wandering or digression, also a digression in speech or writing. More... mundivagant - Means "wandering around the world." More... vagation - The action of wandering, straying, or departing from the proper or regular course. More... wanderjahr - Literally German for "wander year," it refers to a year of wandering or travel. More... | |