I believe it's A, as it's asking for social context of the passage, meaning in what environment it was said at. (I may be wrong, please double check)
Answer:
Brainwash
Explanation:
The options you were given are the following:
- convince
- brainwash
- persuade
- influence
Words have two types of meaning:
- Denotation - their literal meaning;
- Connotation - the emotional or cultural association they carry. Depending on what emotion a word evokes, its connotation can be defined as negative, neutral, or positive.
The words <em>convince, persuade, </em>and <em>influence</em> have a neutral connotation. The only word that has a negative connotation is <em>brainwash</em>. When someone brainwashes someone else, they lead them to believe something by continually telling them that it is true while preventing them from thinking about it properly. Whenever we use this word, we're talking about a negative occurrence.
Answer:
Explanation:
He meant that what do you take in from looking at something. So if you are absently watching a tree and don't do anything else, you might miss the fact that the leaves are moving with the wind, but they are held fast by the connection they make with the branch that holds them.
Think carefully about what that actually means. When fall comes, the branch lets go and the leaves float to the ground.
Even if you think there is a temperature mechanism that loosens the hold the branch has on the leaves, Someone or Something put it there so it could happen.
You excuse me if I let my religion show somewhat. I do think it is some sort of miracle that lets something like that happens. And Thoreau wouldn't disagree. Those Transcendental writers (like Thoreau) all saw miracles in the ordinary.
