Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

ROOSTER TAIL

DEFINITION:
A high-arching spray (as of water, dust, or snow) thrown up behind a fast-moving motorboat, motor vehicle, or skier.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
A second red flag was waved during the fifth race of the day when Rollin Transport got into a rooster tail on the turn of the first lap, resulting in the boat going onto its side before flipping.
The Key West Citizen, 11/10/2025

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Words in the News Quiz
5 Middle 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. Mosaic

Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

A picture or decorative design made by setting small colored pieces, as of stone or tile, into a surface.

To move back or away from a limit, point, or mark

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.


2. Undulate

To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion.

Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

The pattern produced on a photosensitive medium that has been exposed by holography and then photographically developed.

A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (0.62 mile).


3. Polygon

To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

To condescend to give or grant

Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.


4. Deduction

The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.

Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles

Grossly offensive to decency or morality.

An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen.


5. Vacillate

An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen.

The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war.

To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.


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Common Core State Standard
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.