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. Vacillate
► An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.
► A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.
► To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.
► To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.
2. Outrageous
► Grossly offensive to decency or morality.
► One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.
► A fungus, usually of the class Ascomycetes, that grows symbiotically with algae,
► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.
3. Rainforest
► To stress or emphasize; intensify
► An embankment built to prevent flooding
4. Maneuver
► An embankment built to prevent flooding
► A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.
5. Exponent
► A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.
► To have a great ambition or ultimate goal
► One that speaks for, represents, or advocates
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.