Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

SUREFIRE

DEFINITION:
Certain or likely, especially to succeed.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Kirby taught himself how to count cards, a surefire way to get barred from gambling at a casino, “raking in money on trips to Atlantic City and Las Vegas,” the article stated.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 05/04/2026

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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. Spectrum

The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.

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

The main character in a drama or other literary work.


2. Bamboozle

The main character in a drama or other literary work.

A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night


3. Hologram

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

A weather phenomenon in the Eastern Pacific that is precisely equivalent to a hurricane.

The pattern produced on a photosensitive medium that has been exposed by holography and then photographically developed.

A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy


4. Labyrinth

A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

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

The act of resting or the state of being at rest.

A form of a verb that in some languages, such as English, can function independently as an adjective.


5. Tempo

A form of a verb that in some languages, such as English, can function independently as an adjective.

The act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence.

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

A characteristic rate or rhythm of activity; a pace


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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.