The concept of 'environmental determinism' has long been a subject of debate among geographers. This theory posits that the physical environment, particularly climate and topography, directly shapes human behavior and societal development. Early proponents, such as Ellsworth Huntington, argued that temperate climates fostered industriousness and innovation, while tropical regions were associated with lethargy and stagnation. However, this perspective has been heavily criticized for its ethnocentric bias and oversimplification of complex cultural dynamics. Modern scholarship tends to favor 'possibilism', which acknowledges environmental constraints but emphasizes human agency and technological adaptation. Possibilists contend that while the environment sets certain limits, it does not dictate outcomes; rather, societies respond creatively to their surroundings. This shift reflects a broader trend in social sciences towards recognizing the interplay between nature and culture, rather than attributing deterministic causality to environmental factors alone.
❓ 根据文章，环境决定论与可能论之间的一个关键区别是什么？
A. A) 環境決定論は人間の創造性を強調する一方、可能論は環境的制約に焦点を当てる。
B. B) 可能主義は、環境が人間社会に与える影響を一切否定するのに対し、決定論はそれを認める。
C. C) 環境決定論は環境を社会の主要な形成要因とみなす一方、可能論は環境の制約の中で人間が適応することを強調する。
D. D) 両理論は、環境要因よりも技術的進歩を同等に優先している。
✅ 正确答案
C) Environmental determinism views the environment as the primary shaper of society, while possibilism highlights human adaptation within environmental limits.
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)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first