Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, July 31, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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spelldown
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Positioning Adverbs of MannerThe position we use for adverbs of manner depends on whether they are modifying a verb, a clause, or an adjective. Adverbs of manner most commonly come directly after intransitive verbs that they modify. If the verb is transitive, then where must the adverb be positioned? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Edo PeriodEdo, now named Tokyo, was the seat of power during the reign of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1867). This period brought much needed stability to Japan. The shogun's national authority, combined with the daimyo's regional authority, permitted the administration of both centralized and decentralized authorities. Literacy spread, farming techniques improved, and interregional trade expanded during this period; nevertheless, the last Tokugawa shogun resigned in 1867 because of what pressures? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Pulp Fiction Hero "The Shadow" Debuts on the Radio (1930)The fictional, crime-fighting vigilante known as The Shadow originally debuted as the announcer of Detective Story Hour, a radio program that was quickly eclipsed by the popularity of its own narrator. The following year The Shadow got his own magazine and became one of pulp fiction's most enduring heroes, entering film and television. The radio show was re-named The Shadow and ran for more than 25 years. What comic book hero refers to The Shadow as his biggest inspiration? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Milton Friedman (1912)Friedman was an American economist and a leading US advocate of monetarism, the belief that a nation's money supply is the chief determinant of its economy. He wrote numerous books and was a frequent television commentator and magazine columnist, which made him one of the most publicly familiar US economists. Friedman served as an adviser to US presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. To what South American country did he provide economic advice following a military coup? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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plastic grin— A forced, artificial smile; a smile someone wears despite having no feelings of happiness or joy. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola (2025)St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) founded the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic religious order whose members are known as Jesuits. The Feast of St. Ignatius is celebrated by Jesuits everywhere, but particularly in the Basque region of Spain where he was born. The largest Basque community in North America, located in Boise, Idaho, holds its annual St. Ignatius Loyola Picnic on the last weekend in July—an event often referred to as the Basque Festival. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: rustlingsoughing - A soft rustling or murmuring sound—like the deep sigh of a sleeping baby. More... frou-frou - From French for "a rustling." More... murmur - Comes from the Latin word for "rustling," and can mean "complain, grumble about." More... psithurism - The sound of wind in the trees and rustling of leaves. More... | |