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.
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. Parabola
► Lacking social polish; tactless.
► To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate.
2. Feckless
► To impress (something) upon the mind of another by frequent instruction or repetition; instill.
► Lacking purpose or vitality; feeble or ineffective.
3. Totalitarian
► Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy.
► The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.
► Cheerfully confident; optimistic.
4. Incontrovertible
► Lacking serious purpose or occupation; idle.
► Impossible to dispute; unquestionable
► To seize another’s place, authority, or possession wrongfully.
► Interchanged, given, or owed to each other.
5. Vortex
► Interchanged, given, or owed to each other.
► A factor that determines a range of variations; a boundary
► Having a harmful effect; injurious.
► A place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it.
©2026 Boston Herald in Education and Online Publications Inc. and NIEonline.com




