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. Marsupial
► In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; miserable.
► Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective.
► To rejoice greatly; be jubilant or triumphant
2. Polygon
► A closed plane figure bounded by three or more line segments.
► The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths.
► The quality or state of being tranquil; serenity.
► Harmful, malevolent, injurious. Harmfully cancerous.
3. Nebula
► One that takes in everything available, as with the mind.
4. Protagonist
► Exceeding the limits of propriety or good manners; improperly forward or bold
► The main character in a drama or other literary work.
► A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation
5. Laconic
► Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise.
► An embankment built to prevent flooding
► Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.
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.