Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in an environmental science class. Professor: Today we're going to talk about a fascinating phenomenon known as 'biomimicry'—that's when engineers and designers look to nature for solutions to human problems. One classic example is the kingfisher bird. The kingfisher dives into water at high speed to catch fish, but it barely makes a splash. Why? Because of its long, pointed beak shape, which transitions smoothly from air to water. Engineers at a Japanese railway company studied this bird to redesign the front of their bullet trains. The old trains had a blunt, rounded nose, which caused a loud boom when exiting tunnels due to air pressure changes. By mimicking the kingfisher's beak, they made the train nose longer and pointier. This not only reduced noise but also decreased energy consumption by about 15 percent. So, biomimicry isn't just about copying nature's aesthetics—it's about learning from millions of years of evolution to solve modern engineering challenges.
❓ Question What is the main purpose of the lecture?
A. To explain how kingfishers catch fish
B. To describe the history of bullet trains in Japan
C. To illustrate how biomimicry can solve engineering problems
D. To compare the energy use of trains and birds
✅ Correct Answer
To illustrate how biomimicry can solve engineering problems
TOEFL Listening Tips
Skim the questions first to predict the content
Watch for signal words in lectures and conversations (however, actually, in fact)
For main idea questions, focus on the beginning; for detail questions, focus on examples and data
For attitude questions, pay attention to the speaker's tone and word choice
Take notes on keywords; don't try to write down every word