Daily Content Archive
(as of Tuesday, June 5, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
When to Conjugate for PersonEvery verb in English (except modal auxiliary verbs) conjugates for grammatical person. However, this conjugation only occurs in one specific instance: if the subject is singular and in the third person, and if the verb is in the present simple tense. If this is the case, we most often conjugate the verb by adding what to the end? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Passiflora Caerulea: Blue Passion FlowerNative to Brazil and Argentina, where it is valued for its intricate, scented blooms, the blue passion flower was long ago adopted by Christians as a symbol of the Passion of Jesus. The flower's three stigmas are said to represent the three nails used in Jesus' cross, its five anthers are thought to symbolize Jesus' wounds, and the corona is seen as the crown of thorns. Is the fruit of the plant edible? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 US Secretary of State George Marshall Announces the Marshall Plan (1947)World War II left the finances and industry of Europe crippled. In 1947, Marshall proposed a plan for the US to finance the European recovery. From 1948 to 1952, it provided almost $13 billion in grants and loans to 17 countries and was a key factor in reviving their economies and stabilizing their political structures. While most of Europe embraced the plan, it was strongly opposed by the Soviet Union and some Eastern European nations. How, according to Marshall, would this plan benefit the US? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Ruth Fulton Benedict (1887)Benedict was an American anthropologist whose theories have had a profound influence on cultural anthropology. Her landmark text Patterns of Culture was published in 1934, at a time when her field was dominated by men. In it, she promotes cultural relativism—the assessment of cultural practices within their own cultural context. From a young age, she was fascinated with death and was drawn to studying how other cultures treat death. Whose "cult of grief" did Benedict despise? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 We are as liable to be corrupted by our books as by our companions.Henry Fielding (1707-1754) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
(one's) moment in the sun— A brief period of time in which one is or has been particularly successful, popular, famous, etc., especially when set against an otherwise moderate or unremarkable life. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Denmark Constitution Day (2025)This public holiday commemorates the constitution signed on June 5, 1849, that made Denmark a constitutional monarchy, and the one signed on June 5, 1953, that created parliamentary reforms. A parade takes place in Copenhagen, and other festivities are held in villages throughout Denmark. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: shydemur, demure - Demur is the verb "to object or voice opposition," while demure is the adjective meaning "modest, shy." More... farouche - Means "sullen or shy in company." More... milquetoast - Comes from a comic strip character created in 1924 who was shy, timid, and unassertive. More... shrinking violet - Violets actually shrink as if they become shy, giving us this term. More... | |