Sylvan is reviewing the highs and lows of the economy which term is used to describe what he is study?

Commander mckee checked the dials and switches in the shuttle cockpit and determined that they were functioning normally. he then tested the communications systems that connected his ship with the mission control headquarters. he checked the fuel gauges and saw that there was enough fuel for the months-long trip to saturn. all of the other gauges and meters checked out normal, and the idling engines gave off a strong, reassuring hum. after a final glance around, mckee declared that the shuttle was finally ready for takeoff. he readied the brave astronauts under his command and the ground crew alertly awaiting the launch. the rocket took off and, racing through space, eventually arrived at saturn, where commander mckee and his assistants built the first successful human colony. 126 words, 9.8 flesch, 1180 lexile how could a change in emphasis best develop the events in this passage, making for a more interesting and exciting read?

What is the meaning of the word checking as it is used in this sentence from the second paragraph of the passage?

“generally, however, the term robot refers to any machine that is able to perform a complex task on its own, but whose actions or tasks are controlled by human programming.”