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 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. Inference

Grossly offensive to decency or morality.

The act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence.

The right or privilege of voting; franchise.

Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder


2. Nebula

A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

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.

A schedule of prices or fees.


3. Embargo

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.

A schedule of prices or fees.

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

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


4. Metaphor

Being without or almost without hope

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

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

Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease.


5. Jovial

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.

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

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

Any of several rod-shaped bacteria, of the genus Salmonella, that cause food poisoning and other diseases.


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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.