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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PLOY

DEFINITION:
A cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
“First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that the majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling,” said the 44th president, conceding that it does serve as an effective distraction and ploy for attention.
The Boston Herald, 02/16/2026

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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. Deduction

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

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

Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit


2. Xylem

The supporting and water-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting primarily of tracheids and vessels; woody tissue.

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

A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.


3. Spectrum

A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation

A state of uncertainty or perplexity.

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

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


4. Formidable

Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder

The arrangement of events in time

In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.

A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.


5. Omnivore

In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.

A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

One that speaks for, represents, or advocates

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


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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.