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.
❓ Согласно тексту, в чем заключается ключевое различие между экологическим детерминизмом и поссибилизмом?
A. A) Экологический детерминизм подчёркивает творческую активность человека, тогда как поссибилизм акцентирует внимание на ограничениях, налагаемых окружающей средой.
B. B) Посибилизм отвергает любое влияние окружающей среды на человеческие общества, тогда как детерминизм его признаёт.
C. C) Экологический детерминизм рассматривает окружающую среду как основного формирующего фактора общества, в то время как поссибилизм подчёркивает адаптацию человека в пределах экологических ограничений.
D. D) Обе теории в равной степени ставят технологический прогресс выше экологических факторов.
✅ 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