托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating phenomenon in animal behavior called 'tool use.' While many people think tool use is unique to humans, it actually appears in various animal species. However, the key point is that tool use isn't just about intelligence—it's often driven by ecological necessity. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the sea otter. Sea otters feed on clams and crabs, but their shells are too hard to break with their teeth. So, otters will float on their backs, place a stone on their chests, and smash the shellfish against it. This behavior is learned from their mothers and is crucial for their survival because they lack the physical strength to crack open shells otherwise. Second, think about the woodpecker finch from the Galapagos Islands. This bird feeds on insect larvae that live deep inside tree bark. Its beak is not long enough to reach them. So, it picks up a cactus spine or a small twig, holds it in its beak, and uses it to probe into the bark and extract the insects. This tool use compensates for its physical limitation and allows it to access a food source that would otherwise be unavailable. So, in both cases, tool use is not a sign of higher cognition but a practical solution to ecological challenges.