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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. Ozone

An unstable, poisonous allotrope of oxygen.

The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.

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

Harmful, malevolent, injurious. Harmfully cancerous.


2. Labyrinth

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

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

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

Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.


3. Silhouette

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

Either of two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

To move in waves or with a smooth, wavelike motion.

A drawing consisting of the outline of something, especially a human profile, filled in with a solid color.


4. Guru

The locus of points for which the sum of the distances from each point to two fixed points is equal

Consuming or eager to consume great amounts of food; ravenous.

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

A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.


5. Spectrum

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

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

To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion

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.