The concept of 'environmental determinism' has long been debated in geography. Early proponents argued that human behavior and societal development were largely shaped by climatic conditions and physical geography. However, this view was criticized for oversimplifying complex cultural interactions and for justifying colonial narratives. Contemporary scholarship instead emphasizes 'possibilism', which acknowledges environmental constraints but highlights human agency and technological innovation as key drivers of adaptation. A recent study by Martinez et al. (2022) examined agricultural practices in arid regions, finding that communities with access to advanced irrigation techniques demonstrated resilience despite harsh conditions, whereas those relying solely on traditional methods faced frequent crop failures. This suggests that while environment poses challenges, human ingenuity often mediates its impact.
❓ 본문에서 환경과 인간 사회의 관계에 대해 제시하는 주요 주장은 무엇인가?
A. A) 환경이 사회 발전을 완전히 결정한다.
B. B) 인간의 혁신은 환경적 한계를 상당 부분 극복할 수 있다.
C. C) 기후는 농업 성공에 영향을 미치는 유일한 요소이다.
D. D) 현대 학자들은 인간 활동에 대한 어떠한 환경적 영향도 거부한다.
✅ 正确答案
B) Human innovation can overcome environmental limitations to a significant extent.
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