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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

FOOTHOLD

DEFINITION:
A position usable as a base for further advance.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Growing national anxiety over the impact of massive data centers on communities has found a foothold in Greater Boston in the form of Markley’s Lowell location.
►The Boston Herald, 08/10/2026

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Words in the News Quiz
5 Elementary 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. construct

► Make an idea, impression, or feeling known or understandable to someone.

► To set fire to (something), to light (something)

► In order of time from the earliest to the latest

► To build or form something by assembling parts.

2. commotion

► A state of confused and noisy disturbance

► A measurement one can compare to.

► To attempt to stop the progression of.

► Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress

3. luminous

► The dividing line or location between two areas.

► Emitting light; glowing brightly

► Existing or occurring at the moment.

► Deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements

4. brandish

► Deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements

► A great amount or number, often of people.

► The rate of occurrence of anything; the relationship between incidence and time period.

► To move or swing a weapon back and forth, particularly if demonstrating skill.

5. element

► To bump into or brush against while in motion.

► The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

► The smaller number or part, esp. a number that is less than half the whole number

► One of the simplest or essential parts or principles of which anything consists, or upon which the constitution or fundamental powers of anything are based.

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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.