托福听力

🎧 听力原文

Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class. Professor: Today we're going to talk about a fascinating adaptation in the animal kingdom: camouflage. Now, when most of us think of camouflage, we think of animals that blend into their surroundings—like a chameleon changing color to match a leaf. But there's a more extreme form called masquerade, where an animal doesn't just match its background; it actually resembles an inedible object, such as a twig, a leaf, or even bird droppings. For example, the peppered moth caterpillar looks exactly like a small twig, complete with little bumps that mimic leaf buds. This strategy is effective because predators that hunt by sight, like birds, often overlook prey that doesn't look like food at all. However, masquerade has a downside: it only works if the animal stays still. The moment the caterpillar moves, the illusion is broken, and it becomes vulnerable. So, these animals have also evolved behaviors to remain motionless during the day, when predators are most active. This combination of physical appearance and behavioral adaptation is what makes masquerade so successful—and so interesting to study.