Words in Context

Brave New World, p. 6

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

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In this sentence, check means

• A. to inspect or test the performance, condition, safety, etc., of (something).
• B. to restrain; hold in restraint or control.
• C. to investigate or verify as to correctness.
• D. to stop the motion of suddenly or forcibly.
• E. to mark (something) so as to indicate examination, correctness, preference, etc. (often followed by off).

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Brave New World, p. 6

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

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Check the context around the word in question. In the previous sentence, bokanovskification is explained as “a series of arrests of development.”

The next sentence is parallel phrase of a clarification of what the explanation means, so “arrests of development” and “check the normal growth” function as synonyms – the second one should explain the first.

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Brave New World, p. 6

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

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We can see in the parallel phrases, “arrests of development” and “check the normal growth,” that development and normal growth should be synonyms.

It follows, then, that arrests and check should also be synonyms.

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Use your context clues!

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

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We must figure out what arrests means in relation to development.

• In the TV show Arrested Development, what happens to the family’s development after the father is put in jail?
• If someone on a crime spree is arrested, what happens to their crime spree?

Use your context clues!

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

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So…if “arrests of development” means to stop the development, then what does check mean when applied to normal growth? What is happening to normal growth?

Brave New World, p. 6

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

​

In this sentence, check means

• A. to inspect or test the performance, condition, safety, etc., of (something).
• B. to restrain; hold in restraint or control.
• C. to investigate or verify as to correctness.
• D. to stop the motion of suddenly or forcibly.
• E. to mark (something) so as to indicate examination, correctness, preference, etc. (often followed by off).

​

Brave New World, p. 6

“Essentially,” the D.H.C. concluded, “bokanovskification consists of a series of arrests of development. We check the normal growth and, paradoxically enough, the egg responds by budding.”

​

In this sentence, check means

• A. to inspect or test the performance, condition, safety, etc., of (something).
• B. to restrain; hold in restraint or control.
• C. to investigate or verify as to correctness.
• D. to stop the motion of suddenly or forcibly.
• E. to mark (something) so as to indicate examination, correctness, preference, etc. (often followed by off).

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