Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, May 5, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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solemnity
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining Aspects of the Present TenseThe present tense is combined with four traditional aspects to form the structures that are known as the present simple, the present continuous (or present progressive), the present perfect, and the present perfect continuous. Although these structures are generally taught as individual "tenses" of verbs, what are they are actually? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 How Does Dry Cleaning Work?Dry cleaning is the process of cleaning fabrics without water. Special solvents and soaps are used so as not to harm fabrics. The practice began in France in the middle of the 19th century, after a dye-works owner noticed that his tablecloth became cleaner after his maid spilled kerosene on it. Early solvents were extremely flammable and led to many fires and explosions. Newer chlorinated hydrocarbon synthetic solvents, such as perchlorethylene, are nonflammable but pose what other dangers? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Cinco de Mayo (1862)Cinco de Mayo, the "Fifth of May," is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army's unexpected victory over invading French troops at the Battle of Puebla. It is widely observed in Mexico and the US, particularly as a celebration of Mexican culture. However, it is distinct from Mexico's Independence Day, which is held annually on September 16 and commemorates Mexico's independence from Spanish rule in 1810. What became of the French after the Battle of Puebla? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Elizabeth Cochrane, AKA Nellie Bly (1864)Cochrane was a pioneering female journalist who wrote under the pseudonym Nellie Bly. She wrote investigative articles on topics such as the plight of female factory workers, and as a young woman worked as a foreign correspondent in Mexico. She later feigned insanity to gain access to an asylum and wrote an exposé that prompted much-needed reforms. In 1889, she circumnavigated the globe in 72 days, besting the fictional feat conceived by Jules Verne. What famous figure did she meet on the way? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It was not that she was out of temper, but that the world was not equal to the demands of her fine organism.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be (of) no use to man or beast— To be completely useless; to serve no purpose; to be unsuitable to anyone or anything. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Ethiopia Patriots' Victory Day (2025)Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia made a grand entrance into the capital city, Addis Ababa, on May 5, 1941, to mark the end of the Italian occupation. Exactly five years earlier, the Italians had initiated a period of occupation. However, the intervention of British forces and other Allies, as well as the heroics of Ethiopian patriots, helped preserve Ethiopia's independence. In Addis Ababa, government leaders, diplomats, patriot associations, and city residents turn out to honor veterans who fought in the resistance movement between 1935 and 1941. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: teachingclinic - First meant "teaching of medicine at the bedside." More... didactics - The art or science of teaching. More... ear training - In music, it is the teaching of pitch and rhythm recognition. More... hypnopedia - Teaching during sleep. More... | |