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. Eclectic

An ammunition belt, worn over the shoulder, having loops or pockets for cartridges.

The right or privilege of voting; franchise.

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles


2. Ultraviolet

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

Of or relating to the range of invisible radiation wavelengths from about 4 nanometers, on the border of the x-ray region, to about 380 nanometers, just beyond the violet in the visible spectrum.

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

The arrangement of events in time


3. Lichen

The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.

A fungus, usually of the class Ascomycetes, that grows symbiotically with algae,

A diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas or both, visible as luminous patches or areas of darkness

To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive


4. Strategy

The science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace or war.

An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.

In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.


5. Kilometer

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

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

To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant


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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.