The concept of 'environmental determinism' has long been a contentious issue in geography. Early proponents argued that human behavior and societal development were largely shaped by climatic and geographical conditions. However, this perspective lost favor in the twentieth century due to its oversimplification and potential for justifying colonialism. More recently, a nuanced approach, termed 'possibilism', has emerged, suggesting that the environment offers a set of possibilities from which humans choose based on cultural and technological factors. This view acknowledges environmental constraints but emphasizes human agency. Critics of possibilism, though, point out that it may underestimate the influence of environmental crises, such as climate change, which can overwhelm human adaptive capacity. Thus, contemporary scholarship increasingly advocates for a dynamic, interactive model where environment and society co-evolve, recognizing that neither factor is solely deterministic.
❓ Según el pasaje, ¿cuál es el cambio principal en cómo los geógrafos ven la relación entre el medio ambiente y la sociedad?
A. A. Del determinismo ambiental al posibilismo, y luego a un modelo dinámico de coevolución.
B. B. Del posibilismo al determinismo ambiental, rechazando la agencia humana.
C. C. De un enfoque en el clima a un enfoque en la tecnología como único determinante.
D. D. De una visión estática del entorno a la creencia de que el entorno no tiene influencia.
✅ 正确答案
A. From environmental determinism to possibilism, and then to a dynamic co-evolutionary model.
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