Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

INSPECTOR

DEFINITION:
An official employed to ensure that official regulations are obeyed, especially in public services.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are federal employees, and misconduct allegations are typically investigated by the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility or by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of inspector General.
►The Key West Citizen, 03/16/2026

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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. Ultraviolet

► Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder

► The main character in a drama or other literary work.

► The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals.

► Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.

2. Commemorate

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

► A form of a verb that in some languages, such as English, can function independently as an adjective.

► To honor the memory of with a ceremony

► A relationship of mutual benefit or dependence.

3. Hypocrisy

► Sharing the same opinions or views; being in complete harmony or accord.

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

► Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

► The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.

4. Embargo

► An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.

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

► To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

► Strikingly unconventional and far-fetched in style or appearance; odd

5. Tranquility

► Strikingly unconventional and far-fetched in style or appearance; odd

► Self-examination.

► An embankment built to prevent flooding

► The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

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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.