Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, February 21, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Linking Verbs with Prepositional PhrasesA linking verb can be followed by a prepositional phrase that acts as an adjective to describe the subject. What do these usually describe? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Secondhand SmokeSecondhand smoke is cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke that is inhaled unintentionally by nonsmokers. The amount of such smoke inhaled by a nonsmoker is relatively small when compared to the amount inhaled by a tobacco user; however, so-called passive smoking can aggravate respiratory illnesses and contribute to serious diseases, including cancer. This danger has led many countries to adopt smoking bans in indoor spaces. How has the tobacco industry responded to the issue of secondhand smoke? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 First Issue of The New Yorker Is Published (1925)The New Yorker is an American magazine known for its sophisticated tone, liberal political perspective, varied literary fare, and witty single-panel cartoons. It was founded by journalist Harold Ross, who aimed to create a sophisticated, metropolitan magazine—in contrast to publications such as Life, which he saw as unrefined. Now one of the most respected publications in the US, The New Yorker is recognized for its strict style and high-quality content. Who is its mascot? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Jeanne Calment (1875)At the age of 100, Calment was still riding a bicycle around her native Arles, France. She lived on her own until she was 110 and smoked until she was 117. She saw the Eiffel Tower being built and remembered selling colored pencils to Vincent van Gogh as a girl in her family's shop. By the time she died in 1997 at the age of 122, Calment had lived the longest confirmed human life in history—and outlived her entire family. What foods have been cited as contributing to Calment's longevity? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Silver is sometimes more valuable than gold ... that is, in large quantities.Gilbert Chesterton (1874-1936) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
make like a banana and split— humorous slang To depart or leave, especially at once or in a hurry. (A pun on "to split," a slang term meaning to leave or depart, and a "banana split," an ice-cream-based dessert featuring a banana halved lengthwise.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Vanuatu Father Walter Lini Day (2019)A former Anglican priest, Father Walter Lini became the first prime minister of the newly independent country of Vanuatu in 1980. Despite those who remember him for his authoritarian ways, Lini is honored on February 21 as the father of Vanuatu's independence. To mark the 25th anniversary of the country's independence, the 2005 celebration of Lini Day included a special remembrance service at the Tagabe Anglican Church with President Kalkot Matas Kelekele attending. Prime minister Ham Lini, Walter Lini's brother, presided over a ceremony in which a wreath was placed on the late priest's grave. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: pulselight year - Not a length of time but a distance, the distance a pulse of light travels in one year (about 5.88 trillion miles). More... pea - Comes from Greek pison, "pulse, pease." More... asphyxia - Its original meaning was stoppage of the pulse. More... ictus - The beat of the pulse, based on the Latin word for "stroke." More... | |