托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'behavioral thermoregulation.' This is when animals actively adjust their behavior to control their body temperature, rather than relying solely on physiological mechanisms like sweating or shivering. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the desert lizard. In the early morning, when the ground is cool, the lizard basks in the sun on a rock to warm up. But as the midday sun becomes intense, the rock gets too hot, so the lizard moves into the shade or burrows into the sand to avoid overheating. This way, it maintains a stable body temperature. Second, think about honeybees. In a hive, when temperatures rise too high, worker bees collect water and spread it over the comb, then fan their wings to create evaporative cooling. Conversely, if the hive gets too cold, they cluster together and shiver to generate heat. So, these behaviors show how animals actively manage their thermal environment.