Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

ACQUAINTANCE

DEFINITION:
A person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
When photographer Peter Turnley was just 20 years old, an acquaintance from the California Office of Economic Opportunity reached out to him with a question.
►The Los Angeles Times, 12/01/2025

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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. Boisterous

► Any of various nonplacental mammals, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

► A metric unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (0.62 mile).

► One that takes in everything available, as with the mind.

► Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline

2. Cower

► To cringe in fear

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

► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

► The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals.

3. Undulate

► The branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of the structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals.

► A very large and destructive wave, generally caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean, such as an undersea earthquake or volcanic eruption.

► To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion.

► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.

4. Analogy

► Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.

► Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

► The distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year.

► Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

5. Labyrinth

► The distance that light travels in a vacuum in one year.

► Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

► To pound, crush, or grind to a powder or dust.

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

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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.