托福口语 Task 4

Today, I want to talk about a fascinating concept in biology: behavioral adaptation. Specifically, I’ll focus on how some animals have evolved unusual feeding strategies to survive in harsh environments. Take the archerfish, for example. It lives in murky waters where insects are often perched on overhanging leaves. Instead of jumping out of the water, it shoots a precise jet of water from its mouth to knock the insect into the water, then quickly eats it. This remarkable skill allows it to access prey that other fish can’t reach. Another example is the sea otter. Unlike most marine mammals, sea otters lack a thick layer of blubber. To stay warm, they’ve developed a strategy of using tools—they crack open hard-shelled clams by placing them on their chest and hitting them with a rock. This not only provides food but also helps them conserve energy, since they don’t have to dive repeatedly. Both examples show how behavioral adaptations can solve specific survival problems.