Source question 33. 6 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. ACT-G01 1 1 Wilson identifies this selfless behavior among worker ants as altruism. Dedication to the benefit of the colony is, in his view the single most important feature of ant social behavior. In his observations, Wilson has seen ants alter colony populations by adjusting their foraging and feeding patterns, exemplifying their zeal to survive. Ant societies can be fragmented and divided, Wilson has discovered, but their devotion to their queen and colony ensures that ants are cool. PASSAGE III The Pleasure of Tea [1] Much has been written about the Japanese tea ceremony and its sophisticated ritual. It is very beautiful, though unavailable to most people in the United States. Equally inaccessible are the British afternoon tea in the company of friends, with its bone china, cucumber sandwiches, and outstretched pinkies. What I found utterly pleasurable though, is my solitary microwave tea. 31 32 33 27 28 29 30 [2] It is this ritual tea that has taught me to take pleasure in the familiar. Often in the past, I would find myself waiting for the big event, the grand finale that would solve all my problems and make everything perfect. In time I have come to learn that there are no fairy-tale endings: I must find joy in the things I do every day. And my three- part ritual evening tea is special because of that. [3] I reach for my mug and choose the tea—will it be a Darjeeling or the special-occasion jasmine? I slowly poured the water over the teabag, set the mug in the microwave, and punch the familiar sequence, wait for the start of the hum, and watch the carousel turn—these are all part of that magic ceremony. Next comes the two minutes of absolute freedom, time in which I can do anything I want: listen to a bit of news on the radio, D wash the cereal bowl from breakfast, or just lean back against the counter, close my eyes, and take a few deep breaths. E
