托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'behavioral thermoregulation.' Essentially, this means that animals actively change their behavior to control their body temperature, rather than just passively relying on their surroundings. This helps them survive in extreme environments. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the desert iguana. During the hottest part of the day, when the sand can reach scorching temperatures, the iguana doesn't just lie there. Instead, it climbs onto rocks or vegetation to get above the hot surface, and it also adopts a posture that minimizes contact with the ground—lifting its body up. This reduces heat absorption from the sand. Second, think about honeybees. In a hive, when temperatures get too high, worker bees engage in 'fanning' behavior. They stand at the hive entrance and rapidly flap their wings to create airflow, which cools the hive. When it's too cold, they cluster together and shiver their flight muscles to generate heat. So, in both cases, the animals use specific actions to maintain a stable internal temperature.