托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating adaptation in the animal kingdom: the ability of some creatures to change their body color for reasons beyond camouflage. While many animals use color change to hide from predators or sneak up on prey, some species use it primarily for social communication and temperature regulation. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the veiled chameleon. When a male veiled chameleon encounters a rival male, it rapidly changes its color to bright, vivid hues—often yellow and green with dark bands—to signal aggression and dominance. This display often avoids physical combat, as the weaker male retreats. Second, think of the desert iguana. In the scorching heat of the Mojave Desert, this lizard changes its skin color from light to dark in the morning to absorb heat more efficiently, then turns pale or light-colored during the hottest part of the day to reflect sunlight and prevent overheating. So, while color change is often associated with blending in, these examples show it serves multiple vital functions.