托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'biological clocks.' These are internal mechanisms that regulate an organism's daily rhythms, such as sleep, feeding, and activity. But here's the twist: biological clocks don't just respond to external cues like sunlight—they can also be influenced by social interactions. Let me give you two examples. First, consider honeybees. Researchers found that when a young bee is placed in a hive with older forager bees, the young bee's clock shifts to match the older bees' activity patterns, even without exposure to light. This suggests that social cues can reset an individual's internal rhythm. Second, take the case of fruit flies. In a lab experiment, flies that were genetically altered to have a 'broken' clock were still able to synchronize their activity with other flies when they were housed together. The presence of other flies somehow compensated for their internal defect. So, in both cases, social environment played a crucial role in shaping biological rhythms.