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. Random
► Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.
► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.
2. Wretched
► One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.
► In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.
► A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.
► Being without or almost without hope
3. Parasite
► One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.
► Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.
4. Strategy
► One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.
► Strikingly unconventional and far-fetched in style or appearance; odd
► Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder
5. Laconic
► Having or demonstrating enthusiasm
► To have a great ambition or ultimate goal
► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.
► Of, relating to, or occurring in the night
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.