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. Vertebrate
► Grossly offensive to decency or morality.
► Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.
► Having a backbone or spinal column.
► Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous.
2. Phloem
► One that speaks for, represents, or advocates
► A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.
3. Tsunami
► Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.
► A state of uncertainty or perplexity.
4. Boisterous
► Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline
► The distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year.
► Having or demonstrating enthusiasm
5. Vaccine
► The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.
► A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen.
► A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.
► One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.
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.