Daily Content Archive
(as of Friday, June 11, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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copious
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Indefinite Pronouns: People and ThingsQuite a few indefinite pronouns can be used to refer to either people or things. In such cases, we rely on context or other elements of the sentence to know which. What are some indefinite pronouns that can refer to both things and people? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 CarchemishInhabited since the Neolithic period, Carchemish was a city located in what is now southern Turkey, near its border with Syria. Coveted for its location on the western bank of the Euphrates River, the city changed hands among the Mitanni, Hittite, and Assyrian Empires over the span of the 2nd and 1st millennia BCE, and Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II defeated the Egyptians there in a battle recorded in the Bible. What delayed archaeological excavations of Carchemish's extensive ruins? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Jargeau Begins (1429)After helping break the English siege of Orléans during the Hundred Years' War, teenage heroine Joan of Arc set her sights on recapturing the Loire River valley, beginning with the town of Jargeau. Though the post was heavily fortified and well defended, the French soon gained the upper hand. After Jargeau, a number of other English strongholds fell in quick succession, paving the way for Charles VII's coronation at Rheims. What nearly killed Joan as she scaled a ladder during the battle? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Gene Wilder (1933)Wilder was just 8 years old when his ailing mother's doctor urged him to try making her laugh. The boy took those words to heart and developed a passion for performing that eventually led him to Hollywood. He is best known for his roles in comedy classics like Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Young Frankenstein. He cowrote the latter film with producer and director Mel Brooks, and their screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. Which film sequel's script beat them out? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.Mark Twain (1835-1910) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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the moon on a stick— Anything and everything that one desires or can imagine wanting (i.e., above and beyond what would be normal or appropriate). More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Barnabas's Day (2025)Before England adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, June 11 was the day of the Summer Solstice. In addition to being the longest day of the year, it was also St. Barnabas's Day (or Barnaby Day), and this association gave rise to the old English jingle, "Barnaby bright, Barnaby bright, the longest day and the shortest night." It was customary on this day for the priests and clerks in the Church of England to wear garlands of roses and to decorate the church with them. Other names for this day were Long Barnaby and Barnaby Bright. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: twistedtwist-grip - A bicycle grip that may be twisted to change the gears is a twist-grip. More... pigtail - In the 17th century, it was tobacco twisted into a thin rope, which resembled the animal's tail. More... torsibility - The tendency to untwist after being twisted; it is also the degree to which something can be twisted. More... | |