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

Generate your own quiz
Select a grade level
 Elementary
 Middle School
 High School
Select a quiz type
 By words
 By Definitions
Select how many questions
5   10   15   20  

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. Quota

The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war.

Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct

A proportional part or share.


2. Vaccine

A cult or religious movement, a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.

Having a backbone or spinal column.

A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen.


3. Recede

A rebirth or revival.

In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.

To move back or away from a limit, point, or mark

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.


4. Bamboozle

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit

Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative

Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

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


5. Spectrum

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

One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

The supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.


Get more Quizzes 

 Elementary School    Middle School   High School  

 By Word     By Definition    5  10  15  20 Questions

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.