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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.
This Week's Word In The News 

INCARCERATED

DEFINITION:
Confined in a jail or prison.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is restricting access to rehabilitative programming for incarcerated people as it clamps down on overtime spending before the end of its financial year.
The Los Angeles Times, 06/29/2026

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. Exponent

The food-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting of sieve tubes, fibers, parenchyma, and sclereids.

One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

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

Having a backbone or spinal column.


2. Kilometer

Having a backbone or spinal column.

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

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

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


3. Suffrage

Relating to a system of writing, such as that of ancient Egypt, in which pictorial symbols are used to represent meaning or sounds or a combination of meaning and sound.

The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit

The right or privilege of voting; franchise.


4. Despondent

Being without or almost without hope

Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.

To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.

Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative


5. Enthusiastic

To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.

Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct

Having or demonstrating enthusiasm


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