Daily Content Archive
(as of Monday, August 5, 2019)| Word of the Day | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
wonted
| |||||||
| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
|---|---|
Modal Verbs that Request PermissionBecause modal auxiliary verbs can be quite similar in how they are used, it is sometimes unclear when it's more appropriate to use one instead of another. For instance, "can," "could," "may," and "might" can all be used to ask for permission. Which of these options is the least formal? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
|---|---|
 HummingbirdsHummingbirds are small New World birds that feed on insects and nectar, for which their long, slender bills are adapted. They have jewel-toned feathers whose prismatic construction iridesces in changing light and are usually seen hovering or darting, at speeds of up to 60 mph (97 km/h), their wings appearing blurred due to the rapidity of their beating. In flight, they have the highest metabolism of all animals but insects and must feed almost constantly to survive. What do they do at night? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
|---|---|
 First Electric Traffic Light Is Installed (1914)Prior to 1914, there had been several attempts to create automobile traffic signals similar to those used by railroads, but it was only after a four-way electric signal was installed in Cleveland, Ohio, that the modern traffic light system began to take root. The signal had only two colors, green and red, but the three-color version still in use today was not far off. What US city claims to be home to the oldest working traffic light in the country? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
|---|---|
 Neil Alden Armstrong (1930)Armstrong became a pilot at 16, studied aeronautical engineering, and won three medals as a US Navy pilot in the Korean War. He became test pilot in 1955 and joined the space program in 1962. He made history in 1969, when he became the first person to walk on the Moon, a feat he famously declared "one giant leap for mankind." Though this brought him worldwide renown, he, for the most part, avoided the limelight. What unusual legal battle did he face with his barber in 2005? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
|---|---|
 Among all forms of mistake, prophecy is the most gratuitous.George Eliot (1819-1880) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
|---|---|
strap on the (old) feed bag— slang To begin eating; to have a meal. More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
|---|---|
 Burkina Faso Independence Day (2025)Formerly called Upper Volta, Burkina Faso gained independence from France on August 5, 1960, an event commemorated as a national holiday each year. The area had been a French protectorate since the 1890s. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
|---|---|
Today's topic: researchdisquisition - A diligent or systematic search, a thorough investigation or research. More... primary source - A direct source of information or research, a document not emended by a third party. More... secondary source - Information or research that is derivative, such as a comment by a historian, an encyclopedia article, or a critical essay. More... Rh factor - Named for the rhesus monkeys used in research to identify blood types. More... | |