That set us off on a whole new direction,从此人类有了新的进化方向

set off出发，动身

What time are you planning to set off tomorrow?

你打算明天几点钟启程?

They've set off on a journey round the world.

他们已经开始环游世界。

They think that the ability to adapt to new environments他们认为适应新环境

adapt to适应

You must adapt to the norms of the society you live in.

在社会中生活就要遵循社会行为准则。

The new students are very slow to adapt to the rules.

新生对于那些规定适应得很慢。

we evolved our large, complex brains to cope with our social environment.我们进化出大而复杂的大脑以适应社会环境的变化

cope with对付；应付；处理

For all his learning, he didn't know how to cope with the situation.

他虽然学识渊博，但对这种情况他也不知道如何应付。

Inexperienced she was, she could cope with the difficulties wonderfully well.

尽管她没有经验，但她能巧妙地克服这些困难。