Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, September 17, 2020)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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lummox
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Present Continuous for Actions Happening at the Moment of SpeechThe most common occurrence of the present continuous is when someone or something is performing an action at the very moment being described. What is the present continuous verb in the following sentence? "I am going home now." More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 Traumatic InseminationTraumatic insemination is a form of mating in some invertebrates in which the male pierces the female's abdomen and injects sperm through the wound. The sperm then travel to the female's ovaries. Though it often results in successful reproduction, the practice can be harmful to females, as the wound is susceptible to infection, and immune reactions can occur. Homosexual and inter-species instances of the practice have also been observed. What insect reproduces solely by traumatic insemination? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Battle of Antietam (1862)In September 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee crossed the Potomac River to invade Maryland and Pennsylvania. He was met by Union General George McClellan. The resulting Battle of Antietam, fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with a total of 23,000 casualties. It was a Union victory only in the sense that Lee's invasion was stopped. McClellan was later removed from command and was faulted for failing to act on what crucial opportunity? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 William Carlos Williams (1883)Trained as a pediatrician, Williams wrote poetry and practiced medicine in his New Jersey hometown. Regarded as one of the most original American poets of the 20th century, he closely observed American life and recorded his impressions in a lucid style. His poems, such as "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "This Is Just To Say," are noted for making the ordinary appear extraordinary. Williams was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for what volume of poetry? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Silence gives the proper grace to women.Sophocles (496 BC-406 BC) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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(as) sick as a parrot— Thoroughly displeased, disappointed, or dejected (about something). Primarily heard in UK. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (2025)The US holidays Constitution Day and "I Am an American" Day have been combined into Citizenship Day, which a number of states and cities celebrate with special exercises on September 17. Schools make a special effort to acquaint their students with the history and importance of the Constitution. Naturalization ceremonies, re-creations of the signing of the Constitution, and parades are other popular ways of celebrating Citizenship Day and bring attention to the rights and obligations of citizenship. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: spikepricket - A candlestick with a spike for holding up the candle (or the spike itself). More... barb - As any type of spike or projection, it is based on Latin barba, "beard"; it is also a piece of vertically pleated linen worn over or under the chin, as by nuns. More... brad - A small or thin wire nail, it is from Old Norse broddr, "spike." More... spike - Probably borrowed from Dutch spiker, "long sharp piece." More... | |