托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to discuss a fascinating concept in animal behavior: 'tool use' in non-human species. While many people think tool use is unique to humans, it actually appears in various animals, and it's not always about making tools from scratch. Instead, it often involves using objects from the environment in clever ways. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the sea otter. When a sea otter finds a clam or a crab with a hard shell, it will swim to the surface, float on its back, and place a stone on its chest. Then, it will repeatedly smash the shell against the stone until it cracks open. This stone is used as an anvil, not modified, but essential for accessing food. Second, think of the woodpecker finch from the Galapagos Islands. This bird uses a small cactus spine or twig to probe into tree crevices and extract insects. It will even trim the spine to make it more effective, showing a basic form of modification. So, the key point is that tool use in animals can range from simple object use to minor modification, and it always serves a practical purpose for survival.