Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, February 27, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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purlieu
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Participle Phrases in Initial PositionWhere a participle phrase appears in a sentence changes the way we punctuate it, as does its importance to the meaning of the sentence as a whole. When a participle phrase occurs in the initial position, how is it usually separated from the rest of the sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 EncyclopédiePublished under the direction of Denis Diderot, Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers—Encyclopedia, or Classified Dictionary of Sciences, Arts, and Trades—was one of the principal works of the Enlightenment. Inspired by the success of E. Chambers's British Cyclopaedia; or An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, the first 17 of an eventual 35 volumes were published between 1751 and 1765. Who were some of its notable contributors? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Reichstag Fire (1933)The 1933 fire at the German Parliament building known as the Reichstag was a pivotal event in the establishment of Nazi Germany. Allegedly set by a Dutch communist, the fire was used by Adolf Hitler to turn public opinion against his opponents, especially the communists. Immediately after the fire, he enacted a decree suspending constitutional protection of personal rights, effectively establishing the Nazi Party dictatorship. Why do some believe the fire was set by the Nazis themselves? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Hugo LaFayette Black (1886)Black was a US Supreme Court Justice for 34 years. A prominent supporter of the New Deal, he was also in the majority that struck down mandatory school prayer and guaranteed the availability of legal counsel to suspected criminals. He was known for an absolutist belief in the Bill of Rights, and his last major opinion supported the right of The New York Times to publish the Pentagon Papers, which revealed improper government conduct. To what secret society did Black once belong? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In art economy is always beauty.Henry James (1843-1916) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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make the best of a bad bargain— To deal with and create the best possible outcome of a bad, unfortunate, or unpleasant situation or set of circumstances. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Dominican Republic Independence Day (2025)In the 1830s, Juan Pablo Duarte (1813-1876) organized a secret society known as La Trinitaria to fight the Haitians. After a long struggle, independence was finally declared on February 27, 1844. February 27 is still observed as the country's Independence Day and is celebrated with parades and political meetings. Dominicans usually celebrate Carnival along with Independence Day—thousands gather in the capital, Santo Domingo, for the traditional day-long parade and street party. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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