Daily Content Archive
(as of Wednesday, September 6, 2023)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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complaisance
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Forming Compound Words with PrefixesA prefix attaches to the beginning of a word (known as the "root" or "stem word") to change its meaning. While the vast majority of prefixes don't require a hyphen when they are attached to the root, in what situation is it helpful to use a hyphen between the prefix and the stem word? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!L. Frank Baum was an American journalist, playwright, and author. In 1900, he published his most famous work, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a story about a girl named Dorothy who is carried by a tornado to the magical land of Oz. Baum's fame rests largely on his 14 stories of Oz, all of which emphasize the virtues of practicality, self-reliance, tolerance, and egalitarianism. In 1938, the story was made into an extraordinarily popular motion picture. Who played the role of Dorothy? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Leningrad's Name Reverts to Saint Petersburg (1991)Russia's second largest city, Saint Petersburg is a major seaport, rail junction, and industrial, cultural, and scientific center. The city was built in 1703 by Peter the Great, who sought an outlet to the sea and a port for trade through the Baltic. It was the capital of the Russian Empire from 1712 to 1917. Named "Leningrad" in 1924, the city reverted to its original name, Saint Petersburg, in 1991. What had the city been called between 1914 and 1924? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Jane Addams (1860)In 1889, with Ellen Gates Starr, Addams founded Hull House in Chicago, one of the first social settlements in the US. Based on the settlements begun in England by Samuel Barnett, Hull House served as a community center for the poor and as a center for social reform, and influenced the settlement movement throughout the country. A joint recipient of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize, Addams was a leader in the women's suffrage and pacifist movements and a lecturer and writer. What are some of her books? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 After all, one knows one's weak points so well, that it's rather bewildering to have the critics overlook them and invent others.Edith Wharton (1862-1937) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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let down (one's) guard— To become less guarded or vigilant; to stop being cautious about potential trouble or danger. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Aloha Festivals (2024)Aloha Festivals is a celebration of Hawaiian culture. Once a week-long event called Aloha Week, it's now a two-month affair with 300 events that starts in Honolulu in early September and runs through the end of October, with a week of festivities on every island of Hawaii. The celebrations include canoe races between the islands of Molokai and Oahu, coronations of royal courts as commemorations of the former Hawaiian monarchy, street parties, cultural events, parades, and pageantry. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: reducediminish - A blend of diminue, "speak disparagingly," and minish, "reduce in amount, degree, influence, power." More... formulate - Can mean "reduce to a formula." More... moderate - Etymologically, it means "keep within due measure," and is derived from Latin moderari or moderare, "control, reduce." More... minimize - Means to reduce to an absolute minimum—not to play down or soften. More... | |