Today's Highlights
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saltpeter
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Personal Pronouns and InflectionPersonal pronouns have specific inflections (different forms of the word) depending on whether they are singular or plural. For the most part, only the first-person and third-person personal pronouns have plural forms. What is the only plural second-person pronoun? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 BruxismDerived from the Greek word meaning "gnashing of teeth," bruxism is the habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth. Sometimes associated with stress, bruxism is caused by the activation of the reflex portion of the chewing mechanism at a time when higher brain control remains inactive, usually during sleep. Though common and generally harmless, bruxism can cause damage in the form of cracked teeth, indentations, and wear. What drugs are known to cause bruxism as a side effect? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Demon Core Goes Critical (1945)The Demon Core was a plutonium core—used in nuclear testing at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico—so nicknamed because it resulted in the deaths of two scientists in separate accidents. In 1945, Harry Daghlian accidentally dropped a tungsten carbide brick onto the core, causing it to go "critical," or achieve a chain reaction of nuclear fission. Daghlian stopped the reaction, but died from radiation poisoning a month later. What happened to the second scientist nine months later? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Wilt Chamberlain (1936)One of the greatest offensive players in the history of basketball, "Wilt the Stilt" set many records and led the National Basketball Association in scoring every season from 1959 to 1965. He played in his hometown of Philadelphia with the Warriors and 76ers, and later with California's Los Angeles Lakers. He holds the records for both most points in a single game—100—and most rebounds in a single game—55, which he achieved against his long-time rival Bill Russell. How tall was Chamberlain? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 The man who talks everlastingly and promiscuously, who seems to have an exhaustless magazine of sound, crowds so many words into his thoughts that he always obscures, and very frequently conceals them.Washington Irving (1783-1859) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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put in (one's) two cents' worth— To share one's opinion or point of view for whatever it may be worth, generally when it is unasked for. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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.jpg) Salzburg Festival (2025)Although the Salzburg Festival features musical events by a wide variety of composers and performances by internationally celebrated musicians, conductors and singers, the festival has always paid special homage to Mozart. The festival takes place at the end of July and through most of August at different venues throughout Salzburg—most of the operatic and large orchestral pieces are performed in the Festspielhaus, chamber music concerts are usually given in the hall of the Mozarteum, and the Residenz is the scene for serenade concerts held by candlelight. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: meltingfondue - Comes from French fondre, "to melt." More... relent, resolve - Relent and resolve originally meant "melt, dissolve" in literal (under the influence of heat) and figurative senses. More... eliquate - To melt or liquefy. More... clarify - To make clear by removing impurities or solid matter, as by heating gently; to purify butter by melting. More... | |
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| Mismatch | |
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