Theories of History
Ⅰ. How much we know about history
A. Written records exist for only a fraction of man’s time
B. The accuracy of these records is often (1) , and details in them often needs improvement.
Ⅱ. Reconstruction of history before writing
A. being difficult because of the (2) of history to us
B. the most that we can do is: use (3) and the knowledge of the habits of animals.
Ⅲ. Theories about history
A. Objective: to (4) the beginning and deduce the end of man’s story.
B. One theory believes that man continually (5) .
-- (6) must be more intelligent and civilized than his ancestors.
--Human race will evolve into a race of (7) .
C. The second theory holds the man’s history is like a (8) of development.
--Modem man is not the most superior.
--Modern man may be inferior to members of (9) .
D. The third theory: Human societies repeat a cycle of stages, but overall progress is (10) in the long historical perspective.