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. Zoology

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

► To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant

► Grossly offensive to decency or morality.

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

2. Vaccine

► A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

► A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen.

► A treeless area between the icecap and the tree line of Arctic regions, having a permanently frozen subsoil and supporting low-growing vegetation

► Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

3. Ultraviolet

► A disorderly commotion or disturbance.

► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

► 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.

► One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

4. Parasite

► To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.

► One who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others without making any useful return.

► The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

► An embankment built to prevent flooding

5. Metaphor

► Having or demonstrating enthusiasm

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

► One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.

► The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.

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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.