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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

BACKLOT

DEFINITION:
An area behind or adjoining a movie studio containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who serves the 4th District, makes her way across an empty, unnamed backlot, presenting her case to be the city’s next mayor.
The Los Angeles Times, 05/18/2026

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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. Camouflage

The arrangement of events in time

A schedule of prices or fees.

The method or result of concealing personnel or equipment from an enemy by making them appear to be part of the natural surroundings

A proportional part or share.


2. Embargo

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

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

The right or privilege of voting; franchise.

A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation


3. Nuisance

A cult or religious movement, a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

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

One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother.

The act of resting or the state of being at rest.


4. Exult

A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

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

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


5. Despondent

Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

Any of several rod-shaped bacteria, of the genus Salmonella, that cause food poisoning and other diseases.

Being without or almost without hope

A rebirth or revival.


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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.