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Harvard University

Harvard College Is Founded (1636)

Founded with a grant from the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Harvard  College was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard. He bequeathed his books and  about £780 to the fledgling college. The oldest and one of themost prestigious institutions  of higher education in the US,Harvard originally trained Puritan ministers. Today, it has  the largest university endowment in the US, estimated at more than $25 billion in 2009.  Why did Harvard athletes first adopt the color red?

Deadpan

Deadpan is often used in comedy to make viewers feel uncomfortable, or to add contrast to an otherwise slapstick set. This term is an Americanism from the 1920s, when it started being used as slang for the face itself.

Why Making Your Bed Matters

The world is divided into two kinds of people: Those who make their beds, and those who just…don’t. If you’re part of the latter group, it’s time to get your act together! Why, you might ask. Well, besides the fact that your mother said so, everyone from feng shui devotees to sleep researchers has found good reasons to keep the Sheets neat. Here are some of them…

Talk About Your Friends

Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.Each week, this program tells about words and expressions in American English.