托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating phenomenon in animal behavior called 'tool use.' Now, when we think of tool use, we often think of primates, but it's actually more widespread. One classic example is the sea otter. Sea otters feed on hard-shelled creatures like clams and crabs. They can't crack these shells with their teeth alone, so they use rocks as tools. An otter will dive to the ocean floor, pick up a flat rock, and then float on its back. It places the rock on its chest and repeatedly smashes the shellfish against it until the shell cracks open. This allows them to access the nutritious meat inside. Another example comes from a type of bird called the woodpecker finch, found in the Galapagos Islands. This bird feeds on insects that live deep inside tree bark or in small holes. Its beak is not long enough to reach them. So, it uses a cactus spine or a small twig as a tool. It holds the spine in its beak and probes into the holes, nudging and scraping until the insects are forced out. Then it drops the spine and catches the insect. So, you see, in both cases, these animals are able to exploit food sources that would otherwise be inaccessible, which gives them a significant survival advantage.