Daily Content Archive
(as of Sunday, August 5, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Verbs that Request PermissionBecause modal auxiliary verbs can be quite similar in how they are used, it is sometimes unclear when it's more appropriate to use one instead of another. For instance, "can," "could," "may," and "might" can all be used to ask for permission. Which of these options is the least formal? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 PeyoteNative to the southwestern US, peyote is a spineless cactus whose active substance is mescaline, a naturally occurring hallucinogenic drug. Ritually ingested by indigenous people in Mexico and the US to produce visions, the plant is chewed, brewed for drinking, or rolled into pellets to be swallowed. Apart from its use by Native Americans in religious ceremonies, peyote is illegal in all 50 US states. Based on archaeological specimens, how long has peyote been used by Native Americans? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Battle of Dogger Bank (1781)The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle that took place in the North Sea during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, which broke out over Dutch trade with Britain's enemies during the American Revolution. The battle is therefore considered part of the American War of Independence. The clash began after the British spotted and began to chase a Dutch merchant fleet being escorted by a convoy of warships. Both sides suffered significant casualties during the three-hour skirmish. Who emerged the victor? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Neil Alden Armstrong (1930)Armstrong became a pilot at 16, studied aeronautical engineering, and won three medals as a US Navy pilot in the Korean War. He became test pilot in 1955 and joined the space program in 1962. He made history in 1969, when he became the first person to walk on the Moon, a feat he famously declared "one giant leap for mankind." Though this brought him worldwide renown, he, for the most part, avoided the limelight. What unusual legal battle did he face with his barber in 2005? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 We must have felt what it is to die ... that we may appreciate the enjoyments of living.Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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strap on the (old) feed bag— slang To begin eating; to have a meal. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Burkina Faso Independence Day (2025)Formerly called Upper Volta, Burkina Faso gained independence from France on August 5, 1960, an event commemorated as a national holiday each year. The area had been a French protectorate since the 1890s. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: suddenall of a sudden - Is the grammatically correct version; do not say "all of the sudden." More... coup de main - A sudden and unexpected movement or attack. More... sudden - From Latin sub-, "up to," and ire, "come, go," making subitus, "come or go up stealthily." More... vicissitude - A sudden or unexpected change in life. More... | |