托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'tool use.' Now, tool use isn't just about using a stick to get ants—it's about modifying an object from the environment to achieve a specific goal. Let me give you two clear examples. First, consider the sea otter. Sea otters often eat hard-shelled clams. They can't break the shells with their teeth, so they find a flat stone, place it on their chest while floating on their back, and then smash the clam against the stone. This is not just picking up a rock; they choose the right shape and size, and they deliberately use it as an anvil. Second, think about the woodpecker finch, a bird in the Galápagos Islands. This bird has a short beak that can't reach insects deep inside tree bark. So it selects a cactus spine or a small twig, trims it with its beak to fit, and then probes the bark to extract grubs. The finch even modifies the twig by breaking off extra branches—that's clear problem-solving. Both examples show that animals can plan and use objects in a flexible, goal-directed way, which challenges the old idea that only humans are capable of such intelligence.