Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, June 29, 2024)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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farcical
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Comparative Adverbs from One-Syllable AdverbsThere are simple rules that tell us which method of creating comparative adverbs is correct. In general, when the adverb has only one syllable, how do we make it comparative? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Zhou Tong, the ArcherZhou Tong was the archery teacher of famous Song Dynasty general Yue Fei. Zhou certainly led an impressive life, however, it was the publication of a fictional biography of Yue Fei during the Qing Dynasty that made Zhou into a local hao, or folk hero. Zhou's fictional exploits have since been chronicled in films, comic books, and even his own modern fictional biography. What unorthodox ritual did Yue Fei engage in to mourn his former teacher after Zhou's death in 1121? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Algerian Leader Muhammad Boudiaf Assassinated (1992)Boudiaf was an Algerian political leader and a founder of the National Liberation Front, which directed the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962) against France. Boudiaf was captured in 1956 and imprisoned. He was freed after Algeria gained independence, but his opposition to the new regime led to a 27-year exile. In 1992, he was invited back to head the government and deal with rising religious influence in politics. Months later, he was assassinated by a bodyguard while doing what? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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_-_ritr._A_Ferrazzi%2c_Recanati%2c_casa_Leopardi.jpg) Giacomo Leopardi (1798)Leopardi was an Italian poet and scholar who suffered throughout his life from chronic physical ailments and dashed hopes. Despite these challenges, he was devoted to philosophy and the classics from early childhood and became one of the most formidable linguists and writers of his time. His pessimistic poetry is admired for its brilliance, intensity, and musicality. He is considered among the great Italian poets of the 19th century. What are some of his most famous works? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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an/the olive branch— A symbol, expression, or gesture of peace, reconciliation, truce, etc. Used most commonly in the phrase "hold out/offer (someone) an/the olive branch." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Mnarja (2025)Mnarja is the principal folk festival of Malta and a public holiday there, thought to have been originally a harvest festival. It is held in Buskett Gardens, a park with extensive vineyards and orange and lemon orchards not far from Mdina, Malta's medieval capital. Festivities begin on the eve of Mnarja with an agricultural show that continues through the next morning and folk-singing and folk-music competitions. The traditional food of the evening is fried rabbit. On the following day, bareback horse and donkey races bring the feast to an end. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: hintadumbrate - Means "to give a sketchy outline or disclose only in part; hint," and its root is Latin umbra, "shadow." More... allude, refer - To allude is to "mention indirectly, hint at," and to refer is to "mention directly." More... infer, imply - Infer means "to deduce, reason," and imply means "to hint at, suggest." More... inkle, inkling - To inkle is to communicate in an undertone or whisper, to give a hint of something, which gives us inkling. More... | |