Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, January 19, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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undistinguished
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using the Present PerfectThe present perfect tells us about something that occurred at some indefinite period in the past. However, if something happened at a specific point in time in the past ("last night," "two years ago," "yesterday," etc.), then we must use what tense? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 HousecarlsHousecarls were servants or household troops that acted as personal bodyguards to medieval Scandinavian lords and kings. They were free men, not slaves or thralls, and were in service voluntarily. Royal housecarls also served in Anglo-Saxon England after its conquest by the kingdom of Denmark in the 11th century, fulfilling a number of military and administrative roles there. Housecarls are well-known for having fought under Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson in what significant battle? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Apple Lisa Launched (1983)In 1983, after five years of development, Apple released the Lisa, the first personal computer with a graphical user interface. Although the Lisa was a commercial failure—due in part to its initial price tag of $9,995—it had a significant impact on the computer industry. It is often rumored to have been named after the first daughter of Apple's Steve Jobs, though several acronyms have been ascribed to the name. What project did Jobs join after being forced out of the Lisa project? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Janis Joplin (1943)Joplin began singing folk rock in Texas bars after running away from home at the age of 17. In 1966, she moved to San Francisco and became lead vocalist of the rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company. The band catapulted Joplin to stardom. By the late 1960s, she was almost as well known for her unconventional lifestyle as for her gritty, memorable vocals. Before her death from a heroin overdose at 27, she released hit albums with two other bands beside Big Brother. What were they called? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 To found principles of government upon too advantageous an estimate of the human character is an error of inexperience, the source of which is so amiable that it is impossible to censure it with severity.John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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lose (one's) spirit— To lose one's vigor, energy, hope, or resolve; to become resigned or complacent. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Epiphany (Russia) (2022)On January 19th, members of the Russian Orthodox Church ritually bathe in a river or lake. The day marks the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan, an event called the Epiphany, and Orthodox Catholics believe that bathing outside on that day washes away sin. As believers cut holes in the ice with chainsaws and plunge into the frigid water, priests chant prayers to bless the water. Altars and crosses made of ice and snow are sometimes constructed near the bathing site. Authorities advise against the practice, especially in the freezing temperatures of a Russian winter. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: reputationroorback - A false report made to damage the reputation of a political candidate. More... character, reputation - Character is what one is; reputation is what one is thought to be by others. More... denigrate - From Latin de- and nigare, "blacken," it first meant "make black or dark in color," and came to mean "blacken the reputation of." More... | |