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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

WILDFIRE

DEFINITION:
An unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
It was not yet clear how the wildfires started, but a long drought, low humidity and strong winds were fueling them.
►The Key West Citizen, 04/27/2026

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Words in the News Quiz
5 High 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. Gamete

► A reproductive cell having the haploid number of chromosomes, especially a mature sperm or egg capable of fusing with a gamete of the opposite sex to produce the fertilized egg.

► The science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules.

► Deception by trickery or sophistry.

► The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

2. Belie

► The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

► The process in cell division by which the nucleus divides.

► To picture falsely; misrepresent.

► A dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts without addressing a listener.

3. Winnow

► Feeling or showing haughty disdain.

► To remove erroneous, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material from (a book, for example) before publication.

► The lowest point

► To separate or get rid of (an undesirable part); eliminate.

4. Nonsectarian

► A marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.

► Not limited to or associated with a particular religious denomination.

► Having one’s true identity concealed.

► To abolish, do away with, or annul, especially by authority.

5. Nomenclature

► Warlike in manner or temperament; pugnacious.

► A system of names used in an art or science:

► Government by a few, especially by a small faction of persons or families.

► To certify or attest to (the validity of a signature on a document, for example) as a notary public.

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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.