托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior called 'mimicry.' Specifically, I want to focus on how certain animals use mimicry not just to hide from predators, but to actively attract prey. This is known as 'aggressive mimicry.' The key point is that these animals exploit the expectations of their prey by imitating something harmless or even attractive. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the anglerfish. It lives in the dark depths of the ocean. It has a fleshy growth on its head that glows and wiggles like a small worm. Smaller fish, attracted to what looks like a tasty meal, swim closer. When they do, the anglerfish snaps them up. The second example is the bolas spider. Instead of spinning a web, it produces a single sticky thread with a ball at the end. It also releases a chemical that mimics the pheromone of a female moth. Male moths, drawn by the scent, fly toward the spider. As they get close, the spider swings its thread and captures the moth. In both cases, the predator uses deception to turn the prey's own instincts against it.