托福口语 Task 3

In biology, the concept of 'behavioral thermoregulation' refers to the deliberate actions animals take to regulate their body temperature by moving to different environments. Unlike physiological mechanisms like sweating or shivering, behavioral thermoregulation involves choices—such as basking in the sun, seeking shade, or altering posture—that help an animal maintain an optimal internal temperature. This strategy is crucial for survival, as it allows animals to conserve energy and avoid extreme temperatures that could be harmful.

Professor: Let me give you a clear example from a desert lizard, the chuckwalla. On a cool morning, the chuckwalla emerges from its burrow and climbs onto a sunlit rock. It flattens its body against the warm surface to absorb heat, raising its body temperature quickly. As the day heats up, the rock becomes too hot, so the lizard moves into the shade of a crevice or under a bush, keeping its body cool. Later, when the sun is less intense, it returns to the rock to bask again. By moving between sunny and shady spots throughout the day, the chuckwalla maintains a stable body temperature, avoiding overheating or becoming too sluggish to escape predators.