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. Wretched
► In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.
► The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.
2. Cower
► The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.
► Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline
3. Malignant
► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.
► Harmful, malevolent, injurious. Harmfully cancerous.
► Not subject to an obligation imposed on others; exempt.
4. Lichen
► To move back or away from a limit, point, or mark
► A fungus, usually of the class Ascomycetes, that grows symbiotically with algae,
► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.
► Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative
5. Jaunty
► Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.
► Grossly offensive to decency or morality.
► A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (0.62 mile).
► One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.
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.