Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, October 21, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Using Stative VerbsStative verbs are used to describe static conditions. They are usually unable to progress through time, and they therefore cannot be used when forming the continuous or progressive forms of verb tenses. What verb tenses can stative verbs be used in? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Singapore FlyerAt 541 feet (165 m)—or 42 stories—high, the Singapore Flyer is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Described by its operators as an observation wheel, it was opened to the public in 2008. The wheel contains 28 enclosed capsules, each of which is capable of holding 28 passengers. A complete rotation of the wheel takes approximately 30 minutes. The wheel originally rotated in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed from the nearby Marina Centre, but its direction was later changed. Why? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Siad Barre Leads Coup to Become President of Somalia (1969)Following the assassination of Somalia's president in 1969, a military coup installed Major General Mohamed Siad Barre as leader. His dictatorial administration was marked by human rights abuses and civil strife. Though he sought to end pervasive clan loyalties, warfare among rival factions intensified. In 1991, he was ousted. The country plunged into a civil war and has had no effective central government since. How did Siad Barre's regime terrorize the Majeerteen clan in particular? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (1917)Considered one of the main innovators of bebop along with Charlie Parker, Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. His virtuosity and comic wit—in addition to his trademark puffed cheeks and 45-degree upturned trumpet bell—made him one of the most charismatic and influential musicians in jazz. Gillespie was once struck by a car while riding his bicycle. Though he was injured only slightly, a jury awarded him $1,000 because he could no longer do what? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 It is a maxim among these lawyers that whatever has been done before, may legally be done again: and therefore they take special care to record all the decisions formerly made against common justice, and the general reason of mankind.Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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stack Z's— To get some sleep. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Trafalgar Day (2025)This is the anniversary of the famous naval battle fought by the British off Cape Trafalgar, Spain, in 1805, under the command of Viscount Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). The victory over Napoleon's forces cost Lord Nelson his life and is commemorated by the column erected in his honor in London's Trafalgar Square. Ceremonies on Trafalgar Day, or Nelson Day, include a naval parade from London's Mall to Trafalgar Square, where a brief service is held and wreaths are placed at the foot of Nelson's Column. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: recognizerecognition mark - A distinctive one that makes an animal or bird easy to recognize by others of the same species. More... cognizance - Latin gnoscene, "know," begat cognoscere, "get to know; recognize," and it moved through French connoissance to English to become cognizance. More... sentence sense - The ability to recognize a grammatically complete sentence. More... appreciate, recognize, understand - The use of "appreciate" should involve valuing something or understanding it sympathetically; when there is no value or sympathy, use "recognize" or "understand"; appreciate first meant "set at a price; appraised." More... | |