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. Pulverize

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

To proclaim publicly

An elevated, comparatively level expanse of land; a tableland.

To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.


2. Boisterous

A Y-shaped protein on the surface of B cells that is secreted into the blood or lymph in response to an antigenic stimulus

Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative


3. Solstice

Self-examination.

Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit


4. Exult

Incorrectness of reasoning or belief

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

To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (0.62 mile).


5. Spectrum

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

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

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

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.


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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.