当然，社会科学家对这类问题极为关注。（61）他们想要说明，为什么我们具有某些性格特征并表现出某些行为。然而，这些问题尚无明确的答案。但是在这方面已经形成了两个截然不相同的学派。人们可以预料，这两家的看法大不相同。为方便起见，这种争论通常被称为天性论与环境因素论之争。

　　（62）在这场争论中，赞成天性一方的那些人认为，我们的性格特征和行为模式大多是由生物因素所决定的。（63）这种理论的核心是，我们的环境同我们的才能、性格特征和行为即使有什么关系的话，也是微不足道的。这种理论甚至极端地坚持认为，我们的行为模式在很大程度上是先天决定的;因此，我们几乎完全受我们的本能所支配。

　　赞成环境因素论的那些人，即提倡培养教育的人，通常被称为行为主义者。他们声称，在决定我们的行为方式时，环境比以生理为基础的本能更为重要。一位名叫B.F.史基纳的行为主义者认为，人的行为模式完全是由周围环境塑造的。（64）行为主义者坚信，人像机器一样，对环境的刺激作出反应，这是他们行为的基础。

　　咱们来考察一下这两种理论对人的一种性格特征———智力———的不同解释。（65）支持天性论的人坚持说，我们生来就具有一定的学习才能，这是由生物因素决定的。勿庸说，他们认为，周围环境的各种因素并不严重影响基本上是先天的性格特征。而行为主义者却争辩说，我们的智力水平是我们各种经历相结合的产物。（66）行为主义者的看法是，如果一个儿童在有许多刺激物的环境里成长，而这些刺激物能够发展其作出适当反应的能力，那么，这个儿童将会有更高的智力发展。

　　这两种理论所包含的社会和政治内涵是意味深长的。（67）在美国，黑人在标准化智力测试中的成绩常常低于白人。这就使一些天性论的拥护者得出结论，黑人在生理上比白人略低一筹。（68）相反，行为主义者认为，成绩的差异是由于黑人往往被剥夺了白人在教育及其它环境方面所享有的许多有利条件。

　　2.1991年英译汉试题及参考译文

　　The fact is that the energy crisis，which has suddenly been officially announced，has been with us for a long time now，and will be with us for an even longer time.Whether Arab oil flows freely or not，it is clear to everyone that world industry cannot be allowed to depend on so fragile a base.（71）The supply of oil can be shut off unexpectedly at any time，and in any case，the oil wells will all run dry in thirty years or so at the present rate of use.

　　（72）New sources of energy must be found，and this will take time，but it is not likely to result in any situation that will ever restore that sense of cheap and plentiful energy we have had in the times past.For an indefinite period from here on，mankind is going to advance cautiously，and consider itself lucky that it can advance at all.

　　To make the situation worse，there is as yet no sign that any slowing of the world’s population is in sight.Although the birthrate has dropped in some nations，including the United States，the population of the world seems sure to pass six billion and perhaps even seven billion as the twentyfirst century opens.

　　（73）The food supply will not increase nearly enough to match this，which means that we are heading into a crisis in the matter of producing and marketing food.

　　Taking all this into account，what might we reasonably estimate supermarkets to be like in the year2001?

To begin with，the world food supply is going to become steadily tighter over the next thirty years—even here in the United States.By2001，the population of the United States will be at least two hundred fifty million and possibly two hundred seventy million，and the nation will find it difficult to expand food production to fill the additional mouths.（74）This will be particularly true since energy pinch will make it difficult to continue agriculture in the highenergy American fashion that makes it possible to combine few farmers with high yields.

　　It seems almost certain that by2001t

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