The concept of 'environmental determinism' has long been debated in geography. This theory posits that human behavior and societal development are predominantly shaped by climatic and geographical conditions. Early proponents, such as Ellsworth Huntington, argued that temperate climates fostered industriousness, while tropical regions supposedly led to lethargy. However, modern scholars reject this simplistic causality, pointing to counterexamples like the advanced civilizations of the Maya in tropical lowlands. Instead, they advocate for 'possibilism', which acknowledges that environment offers a set of constraints and opportunities, but human agency and cultural innovation play decisive roles in shaping outcomes. This shift reflects a broader academic trend toward recognizing the complex interplay between nature and culture, rejecting deterministic frameworks in favor of nuanced, multi-causal analyses.
❓ 根据文章，现代学者对环境决定论的主要批评是什么？
A. それは、社会の進歩における人間の革新の役割を過大評価している。
B. それは、先進社会が厳しい気候の中で繁栄した事例を説明できない。
C. それは、熱帯気候が人間の行動に与える影響を完全に無視している。
D. これは、地理に関係なく、すべての文明が平等に発展することを示唆している。
✅ 正确答案
It fails to account for cases where advanced societies thrived in challenging climates.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
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