Sometimes national literacy rates can be very deceiving when trying to study the literacy of individual countries. In some countries the experience of the people living in one part of the country could not be more culturally distinct from the experience of the people living in another part. Brazil is one such country. In the south, where Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo are located the literacy rates are fairly close to ninety six percent; however, in the northeast, the poorest region of the country, literacy rates are closer to eighty percent. China has much less variable rates of literacy, but is nonetheless significantly variable by region. In developing countries with a large population that is spread over a large geographic area large variations in literacy are extremely common.

“Environmental determinism” is a theory of cultural geography that states that cultural traditions, and the differences between various cultures, are informed by environmental concerns. This had racial connotations during the age of European colonialism. It suggests that people in hotter and more challenging climates (most of the world, compared to Europe) possess cultures that are inherently different, and inferior, than European culture. This was used as an academic support for European colonialism.

Cultural traditions are a unified collection of ideas and customs that are unique or specific to certain societies or regions of the world. They are often called “syncretic” which means a mix of cultural traits from a variety of sources, or “dynamic” which means subject to change over time. You could say that a “dynamic” tradition is likely to change in the future but this is not as close to the correct meaning as the other answer choice.

The Caste System is a part of Indian and Hindu culture that affixes an individual within a certain social group, from birth. The group an individual is a part of can affect anything from the type of work he can get, where he can live, whom he can marry, and how other people treat him. A Hindu can move up the Caste System by living virtuously and attaining good karma. After several lifetimes of good karma a Hindu can achieve eternal salvation and emerge from the cycle of life.

"Eugenics" is a set of beliefs and practices aimed to improve the genetic quality of human populations through selective breeding and sterilization. "Genetics" refers simply to inherited traits or characteristics or the study of such traits. "Abstinence" refers to the practice of foregoing sexual intercourse. 

Environmental determinism is the theory that the environment determines, plays a decisive role, or causes social and cultural development. "A region's culture can be affected" is not as strong a characterization as a theory of determinism requires, and is in fact the theory of environmental possibilism. "Regional sociocultural development will affect local environmental conditions" gets the theory backwards, suggesting that culture determines the environment, while environmental determinism is a theory of cultural development, not economic development.

This is the definition of relocation diffusion. Stimulus, contagious, and hierarchical diffusion are all kinds of expansion diffusion. Expansion diffusion is when innovations spread to new places while staying strong in their original locations. For example, Islam has spread throughout the world, yet stayed strong in the Middle East, where it was founded.

A “modern cultural hearth” is defined as a global center of culture and economics with a worldwide influence (i.e. Tokyo, Paris, London, New York City, and Los Angeles). Despite its large population, Mexico City’s culture and economic exports do not match those of cities described as modern cultural hearths. Generally, a modern cultural hearth is a highly populated city in an extremely wealthy and culturally influential country (i.e. the United States, Japan, and China).

A “cultural hearth” is a place of origin for a widespread cultural trend. For example modern “cultural hearths” include New York City, Los Angeles, and London because these cities produce a large amount of cultural exports that are influential throughout much of the modern world. Ancient cultural hearths include, Mesopotamia, the Nile River Valley, and the Wei-Huang River Valley.

All cities, particular large metropolises like New York City and Paris, exert a pull on the area around them. This influence is social, economic, and political. People are drawn to large cities because of the abundance of opportunity that comes with having so many people in such a relatively small space. The farthest reach of a city’s social and economic influence is known as its “breaking point.” For example, London’s breaking point is probably the north coast of France, after which the influence of Paris far exceeds the influence of London.