Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, October 20, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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lectern
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Types of Adverbs of PlaceMany adverbs of place indicate a specific direction of movement, such as "up" and "down." There are also adverbs of place that end in "-ward" or "-wards" that describe movement in particular directions, as in "backward(s)." "Toward" (or "towards"), while very similar to the other adverbs of place, is actually what part of speech? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Portrait of Madame XAmerican painter John Singer Sargent, at one time the world's most famous and highly paid portrait painter, is best known for his portraits of American and English social celebrities. In 1884, before he had achieved acclaim, a scandal erupted when he exhibited Portrait of Madame X in Paris. In it, socialite Madame Gautreau is shown wearing a low-cut gown that critics deemed erotic. Paris was offended, Gautreau refused the painting, and Sargent moved to London. Where is the painting today? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Peru and Chile Sign Treaty of Ancón (1883)The Treaty of Ancón ended Peru's involvement in the War of the Pacific, which broke out between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia and Peru in 1879. Victorious, Chile annexed the Peruvian province of Tarapacá and gained substantial mineral-rich territories, leaving Bolivia without access to the sea. The loss of the coast remains an emotional issue for many Bolivians, who attribute their country's problems to being landlocked. What items stolen during the war did Chile return to Peru in 2007? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Pauline Bonaparte (1780)A woman of great beauty and considerable scandal, Pauline Bonaparte was Napoleon's favorite sister. She accompanied her first husband on an expedition to subdue Haiti, but he failed and died of yellow fever. Pauline then married a Roman nobleman, but she soon tired of him and returned to Paris, where her scandalous conduct earned her a reputation. Pauline was the only one of Napoleon's siblings to come to his aid when he was exiled to Elba, despite having incurred his disfavor for what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 There is something so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one is sorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions.Jane Austen (1775-1817) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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squashed (in) like sardines— Very tightly or snugly packed together, especially in a small space. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 The Birth of the Bab (2025)The Birth of the Bab is a holy day in the Baha'i religion to celebrate the birthday in 1819 of Mirza Ali Mohammad in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran). In 1844, Mirza Ali declared himself the Bab (meaning "gate") and foretold the coming of one greater than he. The day, on which work is suspended, is a happy social occasion for Baha'is. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: shipsnauscopy - The ability to sight land or ships at a distance. More... spring a leak - First referred to ships, describing the way the timbers sprang out of position and let in water. More... square meal - May derive from the square platters used for serving meals on ships. More... longshoremen - When sailors passed goods from the ships to men along the shore, those men came to be called longshoremen. More... | |