Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, October 3, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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diffidence
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Modal Verbs and TenseA modal verb must always be used with a main verb—they cannot stand completely on their own. But because we cannot use modal verbs with main verbs that are in a past-tense form, the verb that follows a modal must always be in what form? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Enrico CarusoCaruso was an Italian operatic tenor renowned for the beauty, range, and power of his voice. A mechanical engineer who indulged his passion for singing in his spare time, Caruso had no formal musical training until his late teens. After just a few years of study, he made his professional operatic debut, touching off his meteoric rise to fame. In 1903, he made his American debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he was a favorite until his death. What helped secure his status as an opera legend? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 George Washington Creates Thanksgiving Day (1789)Though the feast held in 1621 may be better remembered, the first official national Thanksgiving in the US was declared in 1789. On that day, Washington, the president at the time, offered thanks for "the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty" following the revolution. Thanksgiving feasts were declared sporadically until 1863, when President Lincoln established it as a lasting holiday. Traditionally, the president pardons a live turkey each year. Why have recent presidents pardoned two? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Alain-Fournier (1886)Henri-Alban Fournier, who published as Alain-Fournier, was a French novelist known for his single full-length work, Le Grand Meaulnes. The poetic novel about a youthful search for the ideal was published in 1913 and is now considered a classic of French literature. Set in an imaginary locale, it is a blend of the author's own childhood and his mystical ideas. Though he began work on a second novel in 1914, he was killed in action in WWI that year. When was his body finally identified? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.Rene Descartes (1596-1650) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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pay dirt— Something very, particularly, or abundantly valuable or useful, especially that which has been discovered after a long or arduous search. Used especially in the phrase "hit/strike pay dirt." More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Olney White Squirrel Count (2025)The community of Olney, Illinois, boasts a population of rare white squirrels. It is believed that the animals first appeared in the area just after the American Civil War. For many years, Olney has been concerned with preserving the squirrels. Every year an official count is done to determine how the white squirrel population is surviving. Professors from nearby Central College, with the help of volunteers, try to gauge whether the number of animals is increasing or decreasing and whether any migration is taking place. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: uproardonnybrook - Donnybrook is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, once famous for its annual fair and now used to describe a scene of uproar or disorder. More... hurly-burly - Turmoil or an uproar. More... rum - Once known as rumbo, rumbowling, rumbustion, or rumbullion—from a Devonshire word meaning "uproar." More... stampede - From Mexican Spanish estampida, "crash, uproar." More... | |