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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.
This Week's Word In The News 

DENIALISM

DEFINITION:
Bianco’s investigation, which includes all the ballots cast in Riverside County in November, raises questions about how he would handle the election denialism movement if he is elected governor.

FOUND IN THE NEWS:
The practice of denying the existence, truth, or validity of something despite proof or strong evidence that it is real, true, or valid.
The Los Angeles Times, 03/23/2026

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

Self-examination.

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

A rebirth or revival.

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


2. Aspire

Having a buoyant or self-confident air; brisk.

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct

To have a great ambition or ultimate goal

The arrangement of events in time


3. Guerrilla

A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters.

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

A member of an irregular, usually indigenous military or paramilitary unit operating in small bands in occupied territory to harass and undermine the enemy

To take in by elaborate methods of deceit


4. Gargoyle

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

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night

A grotesque ornamental figure or projection.

The food-conducting tissue of vascular plants, consisting of sieve tubes, fibers, parenchyma, and sclereids.


5. Nuisance

A cult or religious movement, a group sharing particular (often unorthodox) political and/or religious beliefs.

One that is inconvenient, annoying, or vexatious; a bother.

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

The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables


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