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. Impertinent

To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

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

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

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


2. Antibody

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

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

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

An intricate structure of interconnecting passages through which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.


3. Pulverize

Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder

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

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

An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen.


4. Toxin

A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms.

A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen.

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

A proportional part or share.


5. Protagonist

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

A proportional part or share.

One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

The main character in a drama or other literary work.


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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.