Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumVocabulary in Context and Contextual Word Meanings

Read the passage excerpt below from an essay on environmental governance:

"In ecological policy analysis, market-based incentives are frequently proposed to curtail environmental degradation. However, environmental economists emphasize that monetary penalties alone cannot check the expansion of unsustainable industrial practices unless accompanied by strict regulatory oversight. When firms absorb pollution levies simply as an operational cost of doing business, the economic deterrent fails to exert its intended restraining effect on resource depletion. In this context, effective governance demands structural limits that directly restrict ecological exploitation rather than relying solely on indirect financial pressures."

In the context of the passage, what is the precise meaning of the word "check"?

  1. A
    To inspect or verify the accuracy of industrial records
  2. To restrain or arrest the growth of an activityAnswer
  3. C
    To officially authorize or approve market-based incentives
  4. D
    To publicly criticize or denounce non-compliant corporations

Answer

To restrain or arrest the growth of an activity
The correct answer accurately captures the contextual meaning of the term as used in the passage. The surrounding sentences discuss 'restraining effect', 'curtail environmental degradation', and imposing 'structural limits'. Therefore, 'check' means to curb, restrain, or halt the expansion of unsustainable industrial practices.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the sentence structure and surrounding vocabulary context where the word appears.
The word appears in the phrase 'cannot check the expansion of unsustainable industrial practices unless accompanied by strict regulatory oversight.'
Contextual clues like 'expansion', 'restraining effect', and 'structural limits' indicate the author is discussing stopping or limiting growth.
2
Evaluate the primary and secondary definitions of the target word against the author's argument.
While 'check' often means to inspect or verify, in this policy context it functions as a verb meaning to curb, halt, or restrain.
The passage argues that financial penalties fail to exert a 'restraining effect' on resource depletion, confirming that 'check' means to restrain.

Key Concept

Determining Contextual Word Meaning in Reading Comprehension
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Rate this question

Topics

Vocabulary in Context and Contextual Word Meanings

More questions from this topic