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 or birds, but it also occurs in insects. The main point I want to make is that tool use in insects is not just instinctive—it can be adaptive and problem-solving, showing a surprising level of cognitive flexibility. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the assassin bug. This insect uses the empty shells of its prey, like termites, to build a protective armor on its back. It collects these shells and stacks them, creating a disguise that helps it sneak into termite colonies without being detected. This isn't a fixed behavior; the bug adjusts its shell collection based on what prey is available. Second, think about the antlion larva. It digs a conical pit in sand to trap ants. When the sand is too loose, the antlion will toss small pebbles or debris out of the pit to stabilize the walls. It also throws sand to dislodge prey that tries to escape. Both examples show that insects use objects from their environment in flexible ways to solve specific problems, which challenges the idea that insect behavior is purely rigid and innate.