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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

BACKLOT

DEFINITION:
An area behind or adjoining a movie studio containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who serves the 4th District, makes her way across an empty, unnamed backlot, presenting her case to be the city’s next mayor.
The Los Angeles Times, 05/18/2026

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Words in the News Quiz
5 High 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. Circumlocution

The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

The use of unnecessarily wordy and indirect language.

To divide (a geographic area) into voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party in elections.

Deception by trickery or sophistry.


2. Gamete

Quickness, accuracy, and keenness of judgment or insight.

A reproductive cell having the haploid number of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg capable of fusing with a gamete of the opposite sex to produce the fertilized egg.

Of the same or similar nature or kind

The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.


3. Incontrovertible

The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle.

To make an accusation against.

To weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of.

Impossible to dispute; unquestionable


4. Polymer

Either of two points on the celestial sphere at which the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator.

Feeling or showing haughty disdain.

A person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign peoples.

Any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units,


5. Plasma

Not interesting; dull:

The clear, yellowish fluid portion of blood, lymph, or intramuscular fluid in which cells are suspended.

Everyday; commonplace.

A circular strand of DNA in bacteria that contains the hereditary information necessary for cell life.


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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.