托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating behavior in the animal kingdom called 'tool use.' Now, tool use is when an animal uses an external object to achieve a goal that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. It's not just about intelligence, but also about problem-solving in specific environmental contexts. Let me give you two classic examples. First, consider the sea otter. Sea otters often feed on hard-shelled prey like clams. They can't crack these shells with their teeth, so they will float on their backs, place a rock on their chest, and then smash the clam against the rock to open it. This is a learned behavior that they pass on to their young. Second, think about the woodpecker finch from the Galapagos Islands. This bird feeds on insects that live deep inside tree bark. Its beak isn't long enough to reach them, so it will pick up a cactus spine or a small twig, hold it in its beak, and use it to probe into the bark and spear the insects. So, in both cases, the animals use objects to overcome physical limitations in their environment.