Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

ACQUAINTANCE

DEFINITION:
A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
When photographer Peter Turnley was just 20 years old, an acquaintance from the California Office of Economic Opportunity reached out to him with a question.
►The Los Angeles Times, 12/01/2025

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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. Ellipse

► An embankment built to prevent flooding

► The pattern produced on a photosensitive medium that has been exposed by holography and then photographically developed.

► A proportional part or share.

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

2. Spectrum

► The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.

► To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion.

► A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

► To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

3. Chronology

► A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

► To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

► A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy

► The arrangement of events in time

4. Symbiosis

► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.

► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

► A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

► Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

5. Tsunami

► A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.

► Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative

► A schedule of prices or fees.

► A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

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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.