托福听力

🎧 听力原文

Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class. The professor is discussing animal communication. Professor: Today we're going to talk about a fascinating aspect of animal behavior: communication. While many animals use vocal sounds, some rely on visual signals. For example, the male peacock displays its colorful tail feathers to attract a mate. But visual signals have a limitation—they only work when the receiver can see them. In contrast, chemical signals, like pheromones, can be transmitted over long distances and persist in the environment. Ants, for instance, leave pheromone trails to guide other ants to food sources. However, chemical signals are slower to produce and may be less precise than visual ones. Another interesting case is the honeybee's waggle dance, which conveys information about the direction and distance of nectar. This dance is a form of kinetic communication. So, animals have evolved diverse methods to send messages, each with its own advantages and drawbacks.