Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, April 26, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Good vs. WellA common stumbling block for native speakers and learners of English alike is the correct usage of "good" versus "well." In most instances, good is an attributive adjective directly describing a noun. What is "well"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 RetrovirusesA retrovirus is a type of RNA virus that reproduces itself by transcribing its DNA into the genetic material of the host cell. These viruses are therefore used as vectors by genetic engineers to import foreign DNA into certain cells. Retroviruses sometimes destroy the cells whose DNA they alter, as with HIV, and sometimes cause them to become cancerous, as with the viruses that cause certain leukemias. What enables retroviruses to rapidly develop resistance to antiviral drugs? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Nuclear Reactor at Chernobyl Plant Explodes (1986)The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is regarded as the worst nuclear accident in history. Radioactive debris from the disaster drifted across parts of the western Soviet Union and Europe. Large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were badly contaminated, resulting in the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people and a disputed number of deaths. The incident set off an international outcry over the dangers posed by radioactive emissions. What caused the accident? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix (1798)Considered the foremost painter of the Romantic movement in France, Delacroix is known for his dramatic interpretations of scenes from mythology, literature, and political, religious, and literary history and for his sensuous use of color. His most influential work is 1830's revolution-themed Liberty Leading the People, which likely inspired the design of the Statue of Liberty. During a trip to Morocco, he painted many scenes of North African life. Why did he struggle to find subjects? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Considering how foolishly people act and how pleasantly they prattle, perhaps it would be better for the world if they talked more and did less.W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(there's) no comparison— This person or thing is clearly and inarguably better than any other. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Tanzania Union Day (2025)On April 26, 1964, the East African countries of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Union Day celebrates this merger. In the city of Dar es Salaam, speeches and a parade mark Union Day. Dignitaries from nearby countries join Tanzanian government officials in these festivities. In 2004, to mark Union Day, Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa pardoned nearly 4,500 prisoners who had been sentenced for minor crimes or who had less than three years to serve of a longer sentence. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: inhabitantinfernal - An inhabitant of the underworld can be called an infernal. More... sherpa - Literally means "inhabitant of an eastern country." More... aborigine - From Classical Latin meaning "ancestors," it was spelled with a capital A as the name of the primeval Romans; the first people called aborigines were the original inhabitants of Italy and Greece and aborigine was specifically applied to the inhabitants of a country ab origine, "from the beginning." More... sylvans - Natives or inhabitants of forests or woods. More... | |