Listen to part of a lecture in a biology class. The professor is discussing the concept of mimicry.
"Today, we're going to explore a fascinating survival strategy called mimicry. Now, when we think of mimicry, we often think of a harmless species imitating a dangerous one to avoid predators. For example, the scarlet king snake, which is harmless, has similar coloring to the venomous coral snake. This is called Batesian mimicry. However, there's another type, Müllerian mimicry, where two or more unpalatable species evolve to look alike. This benefits both, because predators learn to avoid the shared pattern after encountering just one species. More recently, scientists have discovered aggressive mimicry, where a predator imitates a harmless species to lure its prey. For instance, some anglerfish have a lure that resembles a small fish. The predator stays still, and when the prey approaches, it strikes. So, mimicry is not just about defense; it can also be an offensive tool. Now, let's consider how these examples illustrate the power of natural selection."
❓ Question What does the professor say about Müllerian mimicry?
A. It involves a harmless species imitating a dangerous one.
B. It benefits multiple unpalatable species by sharing a similar appearance.
C. It is used by predators to attract their prey.
D. It is less common than Batesian mimicry.
✅ Correct Answer
It benefits multiple unpalatable species by sharing a similar appearance.
TOEFL Listening Tips
Skim the questions first to predict the content
Watch for signal words in lectures and conversations (however, actually, in fact)
For main idea questions, focus on the beginning; for detail questions, focus on examples and data
For attitude questions, pay attention to the speaker's tone and word choice
Take notes on keywords; don't try to write down every word