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Words in the News

This Week's Word In The News 

PETITIONER

DEFINITION:
A person who pleads with a governmental institution for a legal remedy or a redress of grievances, through the use of a petition.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
While presenting the citizens’ petition for debate at the April 11 Spring Town Meeting, petitioners argued that ICE operations in Plymouth have “created fear” and “disrupted lives” among the immigrant community, leading to what they call a distrust of local police.
The Boston Herald, 04/20/2026

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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. Parasite

Marked by hearty conviviality and good cheer.

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

Being without or almost without hope

To cringe in fear


2. Marsupial

To cringe in fear

A proportional part or share.

A dense evergreen forest occupying a tropical region with an annual rainfall of at least 100 inches.

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


3. Virtuoso

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

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

A form of a verb that in some languages, such as English, can function independently as an adjective.

A person with masterly skill or technique in the arts.


4. Yacht

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

Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.

A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity.

The right or privilege of voting; franchise.


5. Renaissance

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

A rebirth or revival.

Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.

Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline


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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.