Daily Content Archive
(as of Saturday, March 17, 2018)| Word of the Day | |||
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| Daily Grammar Lesson | |
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The Mixed ConditionalA very commonly used "fifth" conditional is what's known as the "mixed conditional," which is a cross between the third conditional and the second. What are the two ways to form a mixed conditional? More... | |
| Article of the Day | |
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 The Great Smog of 1952Early in December 1952, a cold fog caused Londoners to burn more coal than usual. When the resulting pollution was trapped by the dense mass of cold air, concentrations of pollutants built up dramatically. By the time it lifted, the smog had caused or advanced the deaths of thousands of people—most of whom were very young or elderly or had pre-existing respiratory problems—leading to a new focus on the dangers of air pollution. Even indoor events were cancelled during the Great Smog; why? More... | |
| This Day in History | |
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 The Richard Riot (1955)Maurice Richard was a star ice-hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens and a hero of the French-Canadian population. After he was involved in a violent confrontation during a game with the Boston Bruins, Richard was suspended for the rest of the season as well as the playoffs. Many fans in Montreal believed the penalty to be overly severe and motivated by prejudice against French-Canadians. At a game just days later, the fans rioted. Who did the mayor of Montreal blame for inciting the riot? More... | |
| Today's Birthday | |
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 Gottlieb Daimler (1834)The mechanical experiments of German engineer, inventor, and pioneer automobile manufacturer Gottlieb Daimler aroused so much suspicion that, at one point, the police raided his workshop in Stuttgart, Germany, expecting to find a counterfeiting operation. They found only engines, as Daimler had been working on improvements to the internal combustion engine that would play a major role in the development of the automobile industry. He sold his first automobile in 1892. What was his famous motto? More... | |
| Quotation of the Day | |
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 Assistance given to the weak makes the one who gives it strong.Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) | |
| Idiom of the Day | |
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Marie Celeste— A place, location, or high-occupancy vehicle (especially a ship) that is inexplicably deserted or abandoned. An allusion to the Mary Celeste, an American merchant brigantine that was discovered floating off the Azores Islands in 1872 with no one on board and still in seaworthy condition. (Note: The variant spelling of "Marie" is the more common usage for the idiomatic reference, likely due to its use in a story by Arthur Conan Doyle.) More... | |
| Today's Holiday | |
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 St. Patrick's Day Parade (Savannah, Georgia) (2025)This parade is one of the oldest and biggest parades in the US, held since 1824 in Savannah, Georgia, a city with a long Irish history. The first public procession was recorded in 1824, and public parades have been held ever since. Today, the parade, which follows a route through the city's historic district, comprises between 200 and 300 separate units, including family groups, commercial floats, high school bands, and military bands and marching units. The day begins with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. More... | |
| Word Trivia | |
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Today's topic: oakrambunctious - Once rumbustious and robusteous, it is probably based on Latin robus, "oak"—implying strength—and can describe a person or animal. More... robust - Comes from Latin meaning "oak" and "oaken." More... tan - From a Latin word for "oak," it first referred to the crushed bark of the oak or other trees, especially in its use to convert hides into leather. More... tree - Part of a large Indo-European group based on deru/doru-, "oak." More... | |