Daily Content Archive
(as of Thursday, December 8, 2022)| Word of the Day | |||||||
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soapbox
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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Defining InfinitivesAn infinitive is the most basic form of a verb. It is "unmarked" (which means that it is not conjugated for tense or person), and it is preceded by what particle? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Champs-ÉlyséesThis avenue in Paris, France, leads from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. It is divided in two by the Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées. The lower part, toward the Place de la Concorde, is surrounded by gardens, museums, theaters, and restaurants. The upper part, toward the Arc de Triomphe, was traditionally a luxury commercial district. Twelve avenues radiate to form a star at the avenue's upper end, with the Arc de Triomphe at its center. To what does the avenue's name refer? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty Is Signed (1987)Signed by US President Ronald Reagan and USSR General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty represented a historic shift in superpower relations. The first treaty to mandate a reduction in stockpiled weapons rather than just a limit on them, it required the destruction of 1,752 Soviet and 859 US missiles. Though the agreement has been upheld by some Soviet successor states, Russian President Vladimir Putin said what about the treaty in 2007? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Diego Rivera (1886)Rivera was a Mexican mural painter. In Europe, he was influenced by the paintings of El Greco and Goya and closely associated with Cézanne and Picasso. Convinced that his art belonged to the populace and should be displayed in public spaces, he returned to Mexico in 1921 and painted, with the assistance of younger artists, large murals dealing with the life, history, and social problems of Mexico. He later completed several murals in the US. Rivera was twice married to what famous artist? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 A man should keep his little brain attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it.Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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get (one's) thinking cap on— To begin thinking or considering very carefully and seriously (about something), often to solve a problem. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 Santon Fair (2025)Santons are the small, colored clay figures that appear in crêches throughout France at Christmas. Thousands of people come from all over to purchase their santons at the Santon Fair, which takes place during the month of December in Marseilles. In addition to the usual biblical figures, a number of local figures, garbed in traditional Provençal clothing, can be purchased at the fair. They are made by local families who have passed down the molds and models from generation to generation since the 17th century. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: pointedapothegm - A terse, pointed saying or pithy maxim; it is pronounced AP-uh-them and may also be spelled apophthegm. More... downward-facing dog - Also called downward dog, it is a yoga pose in which the hands and feet are on the floor and one's rear end is pointed up so that the body is in an upside-down V. More... fastigate - To make pointed. More... innuendo - Latin for "by nodding at, pointing to," or "intimating," from in-, "toward," and nuere, "nod." More... | |