Both civilization and culture are fairly modem words, having come into prominent use durin
g the 19th century by anthropologists (人类学家), historians, and literary figures. There has been a strong tendency to use them interchangeably as though they mean the same thing, but they are not the same.
Although modem in their usage, the two words derived from ancient Latin. The word civilization is based on the Latin civis, of a city. Thus civilization, in its most essential meaning, is the ability of people to live together harmoniously in cities, in social groupings. From this definition it would seem that certain insects, such as ants or bees, are also civilized. They live and work together in social groups. So do some microorganisms. But there is more to civilization, and that is what culture brings to it. So, civilization is inseparable from culture.
The word culture is derived from the Latin verb colere, "to till the soil". But colere also has a wider range of meanings. It may, like civis, mean inhabiting a town or village. But most of its definitions suggest a process of starting and promoting growth and development. One may cultivate a garden; one may also cultivate one's interests, mind, and abilities. In its modern use the word culture refers to all the positive aspects and achievements of humanity that make mankind different from the rest of the animal world. Culture has grown out of creativity, a characteristic that seems to be unique to human beings.
One of the basic and best-known features of civilization and culture is the presence of tools. But more important than their simple existence is that the tools are always being improved and enlarged upon, a result of creativity. It took thousands of years to get from the first wheel to the latest, most advanced model of automobile.
It is the concept of humans as toolmakers and improvers that differentiates them from other animals. A monkey may use a stick to knock a banana from a tree, but that stick will never, through a monkey's cleverness, be modified into a hook or a ladder. Monkeys have never devised a spoken language, written a book, composed a melody, built a house, or painted a portrait. To say that birds build nests and beavers (海狸) their dens is to miss the point. People once lived in caves, but their cleverness, imagination, and creativity led them to progress beyond caves to buildings.
What does the author think of the words "civilization" and "culture"？
A．They are identical.
B．They are different concepts.
C．They can often be used interchangeably.
D．They are defined differently by different people.
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