Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, April 7, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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chloasma
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining the Imperative MoodAlthough we can use the subjunctive mood to express commands or requests, it is becoming less common in modern English. Instead, we usually use the imperative mood to form imperative sentences when we want to issue direct orders, commands, or general instructions. Why is the imperative considered an irrealis mood? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 MoonshiningHome-distillation of alcohol came to be called "moonshining" in English speaking countries because it was usually conducted at night to avoid arrest for the production of illegal liquor. Home-distillation is, however, a world-wide phenomenon and is not illegal everywhere. In New Zealand, for example, stills are legally sold openly on the market along with instruction manuals. What used to be a common, perhaps unreliable, folk test for determining the presence of lead in moonshine? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The World Health Organization Is Established (1948)World Health Day is observed every year on April 7 to mark the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO), a UN agency whose main objective is to promote "the highest possible level of health" in all people. Coordinating international efforts to prevent, control, and treat illness, it has worked to successfully eradicate smallpox and has made notable strides in checking polio, leprosy, cholera, and malaria. What controversies have surrounded the WHO? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Eleanora Fagan, AKA Billie Holiday (1915)Despite a deeply troubled upbringing, Holiday became one of the most celebrated and influential singers in jazz history. She was also one of its most tragic figures. She debuted in the 1930s and, after performing with Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Artie Shaw, embarked on a successful solo career. However, she suffered many personal setbacks, complicated by the drug addiction that eventually destroyed her career and hastened her death. How did she choose her stage name? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If man had created man, he would be ashamed of his performance.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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mush (something) up— To mash or crush something into a thick, soft pulp. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Armenia Motherhood and Beauty Day (2025)This is a national holiday in Armenia, celebrated each year on April 7. It comes not long after another national holiday, Women's Day, which is celebrated on March 8. Women's Day is meant to honor all women, but Motherhood and Beauty Day is dedicated especially to those who have become mothers. Children and adults alike show their affection for their mothers with special visits, cards, and gifts. Sending flowers to one's mother is an especially popular way to mark this holiday. Another tradition associated with the day is the gift of a twig that has fresh sprouts on it. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: stuffingforcemeat, farce - A highly seasoned mixture containing chopped meat, forcemeat is an alteration of farcemeat, "stuffing," and has a synonym—farce. More... duxelles - A stuffing made from mushrooms, onions, shallots, and parsley, named after the Marquis d'Uxelles, a 17th-century French nobleman. More... excelsior - The curled shavings of soft wood used for packing and stuffing. More... | |