托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'tool use' — specifically, how some animals use objects in their environment to solve problems. Now, we often think of tool use as a uniquely human trait, but many animals do it too. However, what's interesting is that animals don't just pick up any object; they often modify or choose tools based on the task at hand. Let me give you two examples from the animal kingdom. First, consider the sea otter. When a sea otter wants to crack open a hard-shelled clam, it will dive to the ocean floor and select a stone of just the right size and weight. It then floats on its back, places the stone on its belly, and uses it as an anvil to smash the clam against. The otter doesn't just use any pebble; it deliberately chooses a suitable one. Second, think about the New Caledonian crow. This bird is famous for its ability to craft tools from leaves. When foraging for insects in tree bark, the crow will tear a strip from a leaf, trim it to shape, and even create a hook at one end to pull out hidden grubs. The crow modifies the leaf to make it more effective. So, in both cases, the animals are not just using objects randomly; they are selecting or shaping them for a specific purpose.