Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, July 6, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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immensity
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Adverbs of FrequencyAdverbs of frequency tell us how often something happens or is the case; they can describe verbs and adjectives, but they do not modify other adverbs. What are adverbs of frequency also called? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Moon IllusionThe Moon illusion is an optical illusion that causes the Moon to appear larger near the horizon than it does higher up in the sky. It has been pondered since antiquity, and a number of explanations have been proposed. A popular early theory, dating back to at least the 4th century BCE, asserts that the Moon’s appearance is magnified by the atmosphere, but photographs have disproven this idea. Scientists today are still unable to fully explain the illusion. What other theories have been proposed? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Louis Pasteur Successfully Tests His Rabies Vaccine (1885)Pasteur was a pioneer in the field of germ theory. In 1881, the inventor of pasteurization perfected a way to isolate and weaken germs, and he went on to develop a vaccine against anthrax in sheep. He soon turned his attention to researching rabies. In 1885, he inoculated a 9-year-old boy who had been badly mauled by a rabid dog. The vaccine likely prevented the boy from contracting rabies, which then meant certain death. How did Pasteur's chickens accidentally get vaccinated against cholera? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Merv Griffin (1925)Originally a singer and nightclub performer, Griffin first achieved wider fame in the early 1950s with the hit song I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. He then shifted his focus to television, hosting The Merv Griffin Show from 1965 to 1986. He created the popular game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! and wrote the latter's famous theme song. Later, he invested in casinos, resorts, and hotels. What humorous epitaph was inscribed on his gravestone? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Our fear of death is like our fear that summer will be short, but when we have had our swing of pleasure, our fill of fruit, and our swelter of heat, we say we have had our day.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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through the grapevine— Through or via an informal means of communication or information, especially gossip. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Birthday of the Dalai Lama (2021)This celebration is held on July 6 for the birthday of the current Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political head of Tibet. The present Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (b. 1935), is the latest in the line that began in the 14th century. Each Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of the preceding one, and when a Dalai Lama dies, Tibetan lamas search throughout the country for a child who is his reincarnation. The birthday is observed today by exiles in India with family picnics, traditional dances and singing, and incense-burning ceremonies to appease the local spirits. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: traineddolphinarium - An aquarium in which dolphins are kept and trained for public entertainment. More... Navy SEAL - A member of the special forces unit for the US Navy who is trained for unconventional warfare on sea, air, and land. More... pergola - Can be described as an arbor formed of growing plants trained over a trellis. More... brain drain - The emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a country or other place. More... | |