Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, September 27, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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elegy
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Verbs that Indicate PossibilityBecause modal auxiliary verbs can be quite similar in how they are used, it is sometimes unclear when it's more appropriate to use one instead of another. For instance, we use "may," and "might" to express a possibility. Which of these verbs tends to express less certainty or a lower likelihood? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Siege TowerDating to antiquity, siege towers were large, portable structures that aided soldiers in scaling defensive walls and shielded them as they did so. The massive towers were filled with soldiers and then wheeled up to the walls of a besieged fortress, whereupon gangplanks would be lowered to allow the invading force access. Archers and catapults were often positioned on top of the towers so that they could fire upon enemies during an assault. What protected the wooden towers from flaming arrows? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Tonight Hosted by Steve Allen Premieres on NBC (1954)In 1954, Tonight debuted with 32-year-old Steve Allen hosting. The humorous late-night talk show came to occupy a prominent place in American television and has aired for more than 50 years, usually on weeknights. Some of its longer-running hosts have included Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, and Jay Leno, each backed by house musicians. In 1960, Paar walked off stage in the middle of a show, angry that censors had cut one of his jokes. He returned weeks later. What was the joke? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Sophia Alekseyevna (1657)Sophia Alekseyevna seized power in Russia after the death of her father, Czar Feodor III, and became regent during the minority of her disabled brother, Ivan V, and her half-brother, Peter I. She brutally eliminated her opponents and ruled dictatorially with her lover, Vasily V. Gallitzin. She aspired to be crowned czarina, but lacked support from the nobility and clergy. When it was rumored that she intended to kill Peter to become sole ruler, he overthrew the regency and confined her where? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The true artist is a man who believes absolutely in himself, because he is absolutely himself.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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spoiled for choice— Having an abundance of suitable or ideal options from which to choose, such that it may be difficult to make a decision. Primarily heard in US. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Feast Day of the French Community (2025)Each of the autonomous regions of Belgium observes its own feast day. Feast Day of the French Community (La fête de la Communauté française de Belgique) is a celebration of linguistic heritage and national independence. It largely takes place in the Walloon cities of Namur, Liege, Huy, and Charleroi, and is a public assertion of the linguistic and ethnic rights of French speakers. All schools and administrative buildings are closed for the feast day. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: healingbalsam - First referred to an aromatic resinous substance with healing or soothing properties. More... healing, curing - Healing is a process in which an organism's health is restored; curing is a method that promotes healing. More... psychiatry - From Greek psykhe, "mind," and iatreia, "healing." More... salve - The main semantic element is "healing," but the etymological meaning is "oily substance." More... | |