Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, February 2, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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brattle
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Compound PossessionIf two or more nouns (usually people) are shown to have possession of something in a sentence, the placement of the apostrophe changes depending on whether they possess the thing together or separately. This is known as "compound possession." If the people share possession of the same thing, then only one apostrophe is used with the last person listed. If the people possess two separate things, where are apostrophes placed in the sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 HortensiaThe daughter of Roman orator Quintus Hortensius, Hortensia earned fame of her own by giving a speech before the members of the Second Triumvirate in 42 BCE on behalf of the women of Rome. That year, Rome's state-sponsored military legions were at war with the assassins of Julius Caesar. To fund the war, lawmakers imposed a tax on Rome's 1,400 wealthiest women, who were outraged at the prospect of being taxed for a war over which they had no control. How did the lawmakers respond to her speech? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Sled Dogs Reach Nome, Alaska, with Diphtheria Serum (1925)In 1925, a diphtheria outbreak threatened the city of Nome. The town's supply of antitoxin had run out, and a mail shipment would have taken weeks to arrive. After learning of the crisis, 20 mushers and some 150 sled dogs, including the famous Balto, relayed fresh antitoxin 674 miles (1,085 km) in a record five and a half days, preventing an epidemic. Today, the heroic journey is commemorated by the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. How long did a reenactment of the serum run take in 1975? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 George Halas, "Papa Bear" (1895)Halas was a pioneering football player, coach, and owner of one of the 11 original teams in the American Professional Football Association (APFA), the Decatur Staleys. Founded in 1920, the APFA went on to become the National Football League (NFL) in 1922—the same year Halas moved his team to Chicago and renamed it the Bears. Under his leadership, the Chicago Bears won seven NFL championships. In addition to coaching, Halas also played what position during the 1920s? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 I shall ask for brains instead of a heart; for a fool would not know what to do with a heart if he had one.L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the inmates are running the asylum— The people least capable of running a group or organization are now in charge. Said especially when the result is total chaos or calamity. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Candlemas (2024)After observing the traditional 40-day period of purification following the birth of Jesus, Mary presented him to God at the Temple in Jerusalem. According to a New Testament gospel, an aged and devout Jew named Simeon held the baby in his arms and said he would be "a light to lighten the Gentiles". It is for this reason that February 2 has come to be called Candlemas and has been celebrated by the blessing of candles since the 11th century. In both the Eastern and Western churches, it is now known as the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: small piececollup - A small piece or slice. More... cover slip - The small piece of thin glass that goes over the specimen on a microscope slide. More... brioche - In French, it literally means "split up into small pieces." More... stamp - Originally meant "crush into small pieces; pound"; its sense of "imprint with design by pressure" came into play in the 16th century—and is the semantic basis of postage stamp. More... | |