托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating behavior in the animal kingdom called 'mimicry'—where one species evolves to look or act like another. But not all mimicry is about camouflage or avoiding predators. Sometimes, it's about gaining a survival advantage through deception. Let me give you two examples. First, the orchid mantis. This insect resembles a pink and white orchid flower. It sits motionless on plants, and when a pollinator like a bee or butterfly approaches, thinking it's a real flower, the mantis strikes and captures it. So, here, mimicry helps the predator get food. Second, consider the cleaner wrasse, a small fish that removes parasites from larger fish. Some species, like the saber-toothed blenny, mimic the cleaner wrasse's appearance and swimming pattern. When a larger fish approaches expecting to be cleaned, the blenny takes a bite out of its fin or flesh instead. So, in this case, mimicry allows the blenny to feed on the very fish that would otherwise ignore it. Both examples show that mimicry can be a clever tool for survival, not just for hiding but for actively exploiting others.