Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, April 19, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Using Idioms that End with PrepositionsIdioms that end with prepositions are typically phrasal verbs and consist of a verb followed by either a preposition, a particle, or a particle with a preposition. How is this type of prepositional idiom used in a sentence? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 The Year without a SummerIt is now widely thought that the eruption of Indonesia's Mount Tambora—the largest in over 1,600 years—led to a widespread reduction in temperature in 1816 that destroyed crops and prompted food shortages and famine across the globe. The event became the primary motivation for western expansion in America, and the lack of horse feed inspired research into horseless travel. What novel is said to have been written by an author forced to stay inside by the unseasonable weather in July 1816? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Is Elected Pope (2005)Ordained in 1951, the German-born Ratzinger came to be regarded as the most influential person in the Catholic hierarchy after the pope through his high-profile positions within the church and his uncompromising stance on Catholic teachings. He presided over the funeral of Pope John Paul II as dean of the College of Cardinals and, after just two days and four ballots, was elected pope in one of the fastest papal elections in a century. Why did he pray not to be elected during the papal conclave? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Eliot Ness (1903)Ness was 26 years old when he was hired as a special agent of the US Department of Justice to head its Chicago Prohibition bureau, with the express purpose of breaking up the bootlegging network of Al Capone. He formed a nine-man team of unbribable officers known as "the Untouchables." Numerous attempts were made on his life, and one of his friends was killed, but he eventually helped take down Capone, who was convicted on tax evasion charges. What did Ness do after Prohibition ended? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 A very few—as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men—serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
feel like a new man/woman— To feel completely refreshed and in good health and spirits, especially after an exhausting or debilitating experience. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Venezuela Declaration of Independence Day (2025)Revolutionary struggle against Spanish rule began in Venezuela in 1810. On July 5, 1811, a group of citizens in Caracas became the first in South America to proclaim a formal declaration of independence from Spain. Forces led by Simón Bolívar assured independence in 1821. April 19 is a separate national holiday, known as Declaration of Independence Day, while July 5 is celebrated as Independence Day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: integrity | |