Bay Area Newsgroup Newspapers in Education.  The Mercury News, East Bay Times, Marin Independant Journal, Santa Cruz Sentinel.  Classroom Hero image. Bay Area Newsgroup Newspapers in Education.  The Mercury News, East Bay Times, Marin Independant Journal, Santa Cruz Sentinel.  Classroom Hero image.
Home About NIE Sponsor NIE Contact Us
Geography Last Week Front Page Cartoons News Video Words Use the News History Special Report Pulse NASA

Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PLOY

DEFINITION:
A cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
“First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that the majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” said the 44th president, conceding that it does serve as an effective distraction and ploy for attention.
The Boston Herald, 02/16/2026

Generate your own quiz
Select a grade level
 Elementary
 Middle School
 High School
Select a quiz type
 By words
 By Definitions
Select how many questions
5   10   15   20  

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. Tectonic

Characterized by forcefulness of expression or intensity of emotion or conviction; fervid.

To make an accusation against.

To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate.

Architectural.


2. Inculcate

A form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life,

To show servile deference.

To insert or introduce between other elements or parts.

To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill.


3. Taxonomy

Vacuously, smugly, and unconsciously foolish.

Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.

Division into ordered groups or categories.

Either of two points on the celestial sphere at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator.


4. Belie

The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

A plane curve formed by the intersection of a right circular cone and a plane parallel to an element of the cone.

Eating and drinking in moderation.

To picture falsely; misrepresent.


5. Obsequious

Of the same or similar nature or kind

Impossible to dispute; unquestionable

Full of or exhibiting servile compliance; fawning.

Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness.


Get more Quizzes 

 Elementary School    Middle School   High School  

 By Word     By Definition    5  10  15  20 Questions

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.