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. Immune

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

Not subject to an obligation imposed on others; exempt.

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

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


2. Ellipse

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

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

Incorrectness of reasoning or belief

The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal


3. Rainforest

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

The act of resting or the state of being at rest.

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

A dense evergreen forest occupying a tropical region with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches.


4. Mutation

An embankment built to prevent flooding

The arrangement of events in time

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.

An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.


5. Impertinent

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

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.

Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold


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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.