Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Some things to help me learn...

Word of the Day

cavort discuss

Definition:(verb) Play boisterously.
Synonyms:frisk, frolic, gambol, lark, rollick, romp, run around, skylark, sport, disport
Usage:The children cavorted in the water, splashing and ducking each other.

Article of the Day

Cockroaches

Though cockroaches are insects commonly associated with human dwellings, only about 20 of the 3,500 known species are suited to thrive in the typical home. Once a home is infested, however, it is extremely difficult to eradicate the pest. One of the world's hardiest insects, the cockroach can live without food for up to a month and without breathing for up to 45 minutes. Even decapitation does not immediately kill the bugs. Experts believe cockroaches could even survive what cataclysmic event? More... Discuss

Daily Grammar Lesson

Defining Particles

A particle is a word that does not have semantic meaning on its own, but instead relies on the word it is paired with to have meaning. A particle cannot "inflect." What does that mean? More... Discuss

Idiom of the Day

have the mouth of a sailor

To have a tendency or proclivity to use coarse, rude, or vulgar language. More...


This Day in History

As the World Turns Premieres (1956)

Soap operas began in the early 1930s as 15-minute radio episodes and continued in that format when they began appearing on TV in the early 1950s. As the World Turns premiered as the first half-hour TV soap. The show, which primarily focused on two professional families in the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois, ran for 54 years and aired nearly 14,000 episodes. For 20 of those years, it was most-watched daytime drama in the US. What interrupted a live broadcast of the show in 1963? More... Discuss

Today's Birthday

Émile François Zola (1840)

Zola was the founder of French naturalism, a literary school that maintained that novel-writing should be scientific, appraising reality in terms of natural forces such as heredity or environment. Inspired by his readings in sociology and medicine, he applied his theory in a vast series of novels in which the characters are impartially observed and presented in minute, often sordid, detail. Zola also had an ardent zeal for social reform. He died in his sleep under what suspicious circumstances? More... Discuss

Today's Holiday

International Children's Book Day

This day, which is observed by countries all over the world, is held on Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2, because the Danish author's stories have been favorites among children of all nationalities. Celebrations include contests in which children illustrate their favorite books. Every two years the International Board on Books for Young People sponsors the Hans Christian Andersen medals, which are awarded to a children's book author and a children's book illustrator for their contributions to children's literature. More... Discuss

Quote of the Day

Virtue is insufficient temptation.
George Bernard Shaw
(1856-1950)
Discuss

Word Trivia

Today's topic: simpleton

dodo - Comes from Portuguese doudo, "fool, simpleton," from the bird's awkward appearance. More...

doodle - Originally a noun meaning "fool, simpleton," from German dudeltopf, it came to mean absent-minded scribbling. More...

gullible - A derivative of archaic gull, "dupe" or "simpleton." More...

half-wit - Originally was "a would-be wit whose abilities are mediocre"; the sense of "simpleton" (one lacking all his wits) is attested to 1755. More...


Grammar Quiz
Which of the following suffixes is used to shift a one-syllable adjective to the superlative degree?




Spelling Bee
difficulty level:
score: -
adj. Free of pathogenic microorganisms
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Hangman

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Match each word in the left column with its antonym (opposite) on the right. When finished, click Answer to see the results. Good luck!