Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, November 29, 2021)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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jibe
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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One-Syllable AdverbsOne-syllable adverbs are formed into comparatives by adding the suffix "-er" to the end of the word. What suffix is added to create the superlative form? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 South African Taxi WarsIn 1987, South Africa's lucrative taxi industry—serving over 60 percent of commuters—was deregulated. Since then, it has been dominated by turf wars among rival associations of taxi operators that use mafia-like tactics, including hired killings. The wars intensified with the end of apartheid in 1994. In addition to the violence, the industry is also plagued by the inherent danger created by outdated vehicles and reckless drivers. How many taxi-related deaths occurred annually in the 1990s? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Japan's Meiji Constitution Goes into Effect (1890)In the mid-19th century, Japan was forced to end its isolation by signing a series of unequal treaties that gave Western nations special privileges in Japan. The unpopular Tokugawa shogunate collapsed soon after and, in 1868, the boy emperor Meiji was "restored" to power. The Meiji constitution defined Japan as a capable, modern nation deserving of Western respect while preserving its own power. What did Ito Hirobumi, who drafted the Meiji constitution, do to prepare himself for the task? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Clive Staples "C. S." Lewis (1898)Lewis was an Irish-British scholar noted for his witty explorations of Christianity, as well as for his classic series of children's fantasy novels, The Chronicles of Narnia, which includes The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He also wrote The Screwtape Letters, a satirical novel in which an experienced devil teaches his young charge about temptation. During World War I, Lewis made a pact with a fellow soldier before the man was killed. How did Lewis keep his promise? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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be the business— To be exceptionally great, excellent, high-quality, or skillful. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Andrew's Eve (2021)The eve of St. Andrew's Day is a special night for young Polish girls who want to find husbands. They play Andrzejki, or "Andrew's games," a kind of fortune telling. They break off dry branches from cherry trees, place them in wet sand, and tend them carefully for the next few weeks. If the branch blooms by Christmas, it is believed that they will marry within the year. Pouring liquid wax into cold water is another popular method of foretelling their romantic futures. The shapes formed by the hardened wax often provide clues with which they can read their fate. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: princeadmiral - First used in English to mean "an emir or prince under the Sultan," coming from Arabic amir al, "commander of"; admiral was originally a sea lord due to the office of amir-al-bahr or amir-al-ma (Arabic), "ameer/emir of the sea." More... prince - Derived from Latin princeps, "chief man" or "leading citizen." More... tycoon - Comes from Japanese tai, "great," and kun, "prince, lord," from Chinese da, "great," and jun, "prince, ruler." More... whipping boy - Meaning "scapegoat," the phrase derives from the boy formerly raised with a prince or other young nobleman and whipped for the latter's misdeeds. More... | |