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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

BACKLOT

DEFINITION:
An area behind or adjoining a movie studio containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who serves the 4th District, makes her way across an empty, unnamed backlot, presenting her case to be the city’s next mayor.
The Los Angeles Times, 05/18/2026

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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. Renaissance

Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease.

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

A rebirth or revival.

A person authorized to act as representative for another; a deputy.


2. Formidable

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit

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

Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder


3. Polygon

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

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

One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.

The act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence.


4. Commemorate

To honor the memory of with a ceremony

Any of various relatively small sailing or motor-driven vessels used for pleasure cruises or racing.

To stress or emphasize; intensify

Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.


5. Levee

To grow well or luxuriantly; thrive

An embankment built to prevent flooding

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

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol.


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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.