Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, February 9, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Compound PredicatesWhen the subject is related to two or more finite verbs, the sentence is said to have a "compound predicate." What do we usually use to link the verbs in a compound predicate? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Miracle FruitThe idea that a slice of fresh lemon could taste sweet may seem ludicrous, but the berry of the Synsepalum dulcificum plant, also known as miracle fruit, can make that a reality. When eaten, the small red berry releases a glycoprotein called miraculin, which binds to the tongue's taste buds and makes bitter and sour foods consumed over the next few hours taste sweet. Researchers are working to develop a miracle fruit sweetener that could benefit people suffering from what disorder? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Beatles Kick Off the British Invasion on The Ed Sullivan Show (1964)Hailed as a milestone in American pop culture, the Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show attracted a record 73 million viewers—the majority of Americans watching television that night. As the band's first concert in the US, the event effectively marked the beginning of the "British Invasion." The band opened with "All My Loving" in front of hundreds of screaming teenage fans. What caption accompanied John Lennon's name when it appeared on-screen over a close-up of his face? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 James Whitaker Wright (1846)The son of a poor minister, Wright went on to become an extremely wealthy mining company owner. He lived a lavish lifestyle and mingled with the social elite, giving off the appearance of a legitimate and successful businessman. Yet, when his companies collapsed in 1900, it was revealed that he had earned his fortune by defrauding investors. Convicted in 1904 of fraud, he chose to end his own life rather than serve out his prison sentence. How did he kill himself while still in the courthouse? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Trusting no man as his friend, he could not recognize his enemy when the latter actually appeared.Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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make a leg— obsolete To make a show of obeisance or fealty by bowing deeply (drawing one's right leg back in the process). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Maron's Day (2025)St. Maron (also spelled St. Maroun), the patron saint of Lebanon, was a monk who died in 410 CE. The Feast of St. Maron, as it is known in Lebanon, does not have the cultural significance for its citizens that it had in past eras—today, Maronites only make up one-quarter of the Lebanese population (between one-half and one million). In Lebanon and abroad, the most common ceremony of the feast day is the Maronite liturgy, which is a distinctive blend of Catholic doctrine, Arabic music, and singing in Syriac-Aramaic, a classical language that was spoken by Jesus. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: proportionad valorem - A type of customs duties, from Latin, meaning "in proportion to the value." More... analogy - Comes from Greek analogia, "a proportion," such as 2/10 = 10/X, a way of calculating unknown quantities. More... bonsai - Comes from Japanese words meaning "tray planting" and involves growing and pruning so that all parts of the plant—flowers, leaves, and stems—are in proportion. More... reason - From Latin ratio, "thinking," and associated with the ideas of right order, proportion, or harmony. More... | |