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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Comparative AdjectivesComparative adjectives are adjectives that compare differences between the attributes of two nouns. We form comparative adjectives either by adding "-er" to the end of the adjective, or by adding what word before the adjective? 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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 Hartford Circus Fire (1944)The Hartford Circus Fire was one of the worst fire disasters in US history. While thousands of spectators in Hartford, Connecticut, were enjoying an afternoon performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a fire broke out in the tent. The big top, waterproofed with a coating of paraffin and gasoline, quickly collapsed in flames, trapping hundreds beneath it. About 169 people died. What song is traditionally used by circuses to discretely alert staff when an emergency arises? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Janet Leigh (1927)Leigh was "discovered" by actress Norma Shearer, whose late husband, Irving Thalberg, had been a senior executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Though inexperienced, Leigh secured a contract with MGM, left college—where she had been studying music and psychology—and went on to appear in dozens of films. She is perhaps best known for her performance in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho, which earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. What famous actress is Leigh's daughter? 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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torqued off— Particularly irritated, frustrated, or exasperated. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Jan Hus Day (2022)This day is celebrated in the Czech Republic to commemorate Jan Hus, an early 15th-century Czech priest and reformer who advocated the idea of a poor Church that limited itself to Biblical teachings and spiritual affairs. Hus was summoned to the ecclesiastical Council of Constance in 1414; when he refused to recant his teachings, Hus was excommunicated and burnt at the stake on July 6, 1415. Jan Hus Day is a national holiday in the Czech Republic. A wreath is placed on his monument in Old Town Square in Prague, and the national flag is flown at all public places. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: lemonpip - An apple seed or lemon seed is a pip. More... citrus, citron - Latin citrus signified the citron, an Asian tree with lemonlike fruit; citron is a French derivative of citrus, coined on the model of French limon, "lemon." More... lemon sole - Actually a type of flounder—not sole—it has nothing to do with lemon other than it is pale-yellow in color; the name derives from French limande, "flatfish." More... muddle - To muddle a lemon is to lightly mash slices to release the essential oils. More... | |