Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, June 12, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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"Will" and Interrogative SentencesAs a modal auxiliary verb, "will" is particularly versatile, having several different functions and meanings. If we want to make a question, what do we do to "will"? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 PysankaThese traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs derive their name from the verb pysaty—meaning "to write"—since intricate designs are "written" on the eggshells with a wax resist before they are dipped in various dyes. Though they are now associated with Easter, pysanky were an integral part of spring rituals prior to the advent of Christianity. Among the many superstitions about pysanky that still persist is the belief that as long as eggs are decorated in this way the world will not face what? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Armagh Rail Disaster (1889)In 1889, a Sunday school train excursion in Armagh, Ireland, turned tragic when the train stalled while climbing a steep hill. The crew decoupled the cars, intending to climb the hill with the first few cars and then pull the remaining cars separately, but the back section had insufficient brakes and rolled down into an oncoming train. At least 78 people were killed in the crash, including many children. What had the crew put behind the wheels to prevent the train cars from rolling backwards? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Arthur Fellig, AKA Weegee (1899)A New York City-based photojournalist, Fellig distinguished himself with his stark and often grisly black-and-white images. His nickname, Weegee, a phonetic pronunciation of Ouija, was derived from his seemingly clairvoyant knowledge of where crimes and emergencies were taking place and his habit of frequently beating authorities to the scenes. In reality, there was nothing supernatural about this—he simply possessed a police radio and made good use of it. What did he keep in his car's trunk? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.James Madison (1751-1836) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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moral compass— That which serves or guides a person's knowledge, sense, or intuition of correct virtues, morals, or ethics. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Philippines Independence Day (2018)Emilio Aguinaldo (1869-1964) declared the Philippines independent on June 12, 1898. But the U.S. acquired the islands in 1899, and it wasn't until July 4, 1946 that they were granted full independence. For many years, Filipinos set aside July 4 to celebrate their independence; in 1962 the date was changed to June 12. Independence Day ceremonies in Manila include a military parade and the pealing of church bells. After the ceremonies are over, Filipinos devote the remainder of the day to recreation. There are games and athletic competitions, fireworks displays, and Independence Day balls. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: poultryfowl, poultry - Chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants, and turkey are fowl in the wild and poultry if domesticated. More... free range - Supposed to mean that poultry is allowed to roam without being confined and is fed naturally grown crops, consuming only a vegetarian diet. More... poultry, pullet - Poultry is derived from Latin pullus, "young animal" or "chicken"; a pullet is a young hen between the ages of a chicken and a mature fowl. More... alektorophobia - Fear of chickens. More... | |