Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, March 17, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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laid-back
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Mixed ConditionalA very commonly used "fifth" conditional is what's known as the "mixed conditional," which is a cross between the third conditional and the second. What are the two ways to form a mixed conditional? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 PenjingPenjing is the ancient art of growing miniature trees in tiny containers. Originally developed in China, penjing was the precursor to bonsai, which was adopted by the Japanese. The trees are kept small and proportionate through careful pruning, feeding, and spare watering. Branches are trained in the desired shape by the application of wire coils. Weathered trees in harsh climates serve as natural models for the often gnarled, bent, and overhanging miniature trees. How old is penjing? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Veder Snaps Pulitzer Prize-Winning Burst of Joy (1973)Taken at the end of the Vietnam War, Slava "Sal" Veder's Burst of Joy became a symbol of the widespread sentiment in America that the horrors of war were over and military families could begin the healing process. The photo captures the return home of Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, who had been shot down over North Vietnam and held as a prisoner of war for over five years. It shows his children running to greet him on the tarmac, his daughter with open arms. Why was the reunion bittersweet? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, Jr. (1902)A practicing attorney, Jones was only an amateur golfer, yet in 1930 he became the only man to win four major golf championships in a single year and the only sports figure to be honored with two New York City ticker-tape parades. At 28, he had already won 13 major championships. He was hailed for his sportsmanship when he lost a major tournament by one stroke after calling a penalty on himself for an infraction that no one else saw. What was the infraction, and what tournament did he lose? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The first springs of great events, like those of great rivers, are so often mean and so little that in decency they ought to be hid.Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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Marie Celeste— A place, location, or high-occupancy vehicle (especially a ship) that is inexplicably deserted or abandoned. An allusion to the Mary Celeste, an American merchant brigantine that was discovered floating off the Azores Islands in 1872 with no one on board and still in seaworthy condition. (Note: The variant spelling of "Marie" is the more common usage for the idiomatic reference, likely due to its use in a story by Arthur Conan Doyle.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Patrick's Day Parade (Savannah, Georgia) (2025)This parade is one of the oldest and biggest parades in the US, held since 1824 in Savannah, Georgia, a city with a long Irish history. The first public procession was recorded in 1824, and public parades have been held ever since. Today, the parade, which follows a route through the city's historic district, comprises between 200 and 300 separate units, including family groups, commercial floats, high school bands, and military bands and marching units. The day begins with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: oakrambunctious - Once rumbustious and robusteous, it is probably based on Latin robus, "oak"—implying strength—and can describe a person or animal. More... robust - Comes from Latin meaning "oak" and "oaken." More... tan - From a Latin word for "oak," it first referred to the crushed bark of the oak or other trees, especially in its use to convert hides into leather. More... tree - Part of a large Indo-European group based on deru/doru-, "oak." More... | |