Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, April 17, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
decriminalize
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Adjectives of OpinionAdjectives of opinion always come first before any other factual descriptions of the noun. There are two types of opinion adjectives. What are they? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Pyroclastic FlowOne of the deadliest parts of a volcanic eruption, a pyroclastic flow is a gigantic current of gases and bits of rock that surges downhill at speeds of up to 450 mph (724 km/h) and temperatures of about 1,800° F (1,000° C). These deadly flows can cross water bodies and have the potential to generate tsunamis. During the 1902 eruption of Martinique’s Mount Pelée, a pyroclastic flow destroyed the entire city of Saint-Pierre, killing some 28,000. What other city was famously destroyed in this way? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 Last French Troops Leave Syria (1946)Though France proclaimed Syria an independent republic in 1941, its troops were not withdrawn until 1946, after over 25 years of occupation. The occupation began in 1920, when the League of Nations gave the French a mandate over the Levant States—roughly present-day Syria and Lebanon. Within years, the Syrian resistance to French colonial rule became a full-scale revolt. A 1936 treaty promised Syrian independence, but it did not come to fruition. What finally brought about the occupation's end? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Artur Schnabel (1882)Schnabel was an Austrian-American pianist best known for his interpretations of Beethoven's piano works. Based in Berlin from 1900 to 1933, he composed, taught, and gave legendary performances of the complete sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert for centenary celebrations. In the 1930s, he became the first to record the complete Beethoven cycle. During the Nazi period, he moved to London, then to the US. Though his own compositions are less known, they are revered by serious pianists. Why? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 If Heaven had looked upon riches to be a valuable thing, it would not have given them to such a scoundrel.Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
not in a million years— Not at any point; under absolutely no circumstances. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Verrazano Day (2025)Observed in New York state, Verrazano Day commemorates the discovery of New York Harbor by the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazano on April 17, 1524. With the backing of King Francis I of France, Verrazano sailed his ship to the New World, reaching the Carolina coast in March 1524, and then sailing northward, exploring the eastern coast of North America. He also discovered Block Island and Narragansett Bay in what is now Rhode Island. In naming the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New York gave Verrazano official recognition. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: pigmentspastel - First pertained to pigment or paste and evolved to mean light or pale colors. More... excipient - An inactive substance that serves as the vehicle or medium for a drug; it is also the material or surface that receives the pigments in painting. More... primary colors, secondary colors - In dyes, pigments, and paints, the primary colors are red, yellow, and blue—which mix to make the secondary colors: orange, green, and purple. More... raw sienna, burnt sienna - Raw sienna is a brownish-yellow earth color obtained from a natural clay containing iron and manganese; burnt sienna is reddish-brown. More... | |