托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating behavior in the animal kingdom called 'tool use.' Now, tool use isn't just about using an object to get food—it often requires problem-solving and planning. One key point I want to make is that tool use can be both innate and learned, and this distinction matters for understanding animal intelligence. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the woodpecker finch from the Galápagos Islands. This bird uses a cactus spine or small twig to pry insects out of tree bark. Interestingly, young finches don't automatically know how to do this—they learn by watching their parents and practicing. So, this is an example of learned tool use. In contrast, the digger wasp shows a more innate form. The female wasp digs a burrow, then uses a pebble to tamp down the soil after laying her eggs. She does this without ever having seen another wasp do it—it's hardwired into her behavior. So, while both species use tools, the finch's behavior is flexible and acquired, whereas the wasp's is rigid and instinctual. This contrast highlights how tool use evolves differently across species.