LS.CCS.4/5/6 Grades 3-12: Students are asked to determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words through multiple choice vocabulary quizzes. Quizzes are designed to help students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in words, acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words, and gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Students are then asked to find the words within the newspaper and copy the sentence for context to its overall meaning or function in a sentence.
Words in the News Quiz
5 High School Words
Click on the correct answer in the quiz below.
Then see if you can find the word in your newspaper -- the print edition, the website or the digital edition and copy the sentence for context. NOTE: High School words are much harder to find!
1. Hypotenuse
► The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.
► The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.
2. Vortex
► The process in cell division by which the nucleus divides.
► A place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it.
► A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.
3. Plasma
► Warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious.
► Interchanged, given, or owed to each other.
4. Fiduciary
► Interchanged, given, or owed to each other.
► Falling off or shed at a specific season or stage of growth:
► Of or relating to a holding of something in trust for another.
► Vanishing or likely to vanish like vapor.
5. Temblor
► The use of unnecessarily wordy and indirect language.
► A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality
©2026 Boston Herald in Education and Online Publications Inc. and NIEonline.com




