Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

MITIGATION

DEFINITION:
The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
But after years of record investment by the state in such wildfire risk mitigation, two key money sources are drying up, potentially reducing the state’s annual budget for vegetation removal by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Los Angeles Times, 06/01/2026

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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. Nebula

Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.

A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals.

The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables


2. Despondent

A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

Any of various nonplacental mammals, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

Being without or almost without hope

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.


3. Kilometer

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

Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous.

To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.


4. Ozone

To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.

Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels used for pleasure cruises or racing.

An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen.


5. Toxin

The main character in a drama or other literary work.

A dense evergreen forest occupying a tropical region with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches.

A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms.

A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.


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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.