# PTE SST #2: Bumblebee Flower Selection and...

Summarize Spoken Text #2 - Level 1 - Feeds Writing + Listening

> You will hear a short lecture. Write a summary on what you have just heard from the lecture in your own words.You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the Quality of Your writing and on how well your response presents the key points presented in the lecture.

## Answer

The speaker explains that bumblebees choose flowers based on temperature as well as nectar. Warmer flowers help bees conserve energy in cold conditions, making them more attractive even if nectar quality is the same. This behavior influences plant evolution, as warmer flowers are visited more. Hence, temperature plays a crucial role in pollination patterns.

## Explanation

Write 50 to 70 words. The main point is that bumblebees use flower color to judge temperature, not only nectar. Explain why: warmth saves bees energy, and they cannot fly when too cold. Add that bees pick warmer flowers even with equal nectar, which may shape plant evolution.

## Hints

- Focus on the two main reasons why bumblebees choose specific flowers.
- Explain the relationship between flower temperature and bee energy conservation.

## Transcript

Why the bumble bees pick some flowers over others? Researchers have known for a while that flower's color can be a signal. Color in short hand that says to a bee: hey, I get some good quality nectar here, want to stop by for a visit. But new findings show that bees also use color to get clues about a flower's temperature. And according to a study from a British research team published in the journal Nature, some like it hot. Bees use up a lot of energy just stay in warm on some days. In fact, they can't even fly if they are too cold. So if one flower is warmer than another, a bee can save some of its fuel by basking on that flower while it's doing its pollinating business. And it turns out that bumble bees consistently do choose warmer flowers over cooler ones, even when the two flowers offer up the same quantity and quality of nectar. Some plants seem to be evolutionarily adapted to be slightly warmer because the warmer ones get visited more by the chilly bees. When it comes to getting pollinated, apparently the heat is on, and that is the buzz.

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