托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry'—specifically, how some animals use mimicry not to hide from predators, but to attract prey. This is known as aggressive mimicry. The main point is that these organisms have evolved clever visual or behavioral tricks that make them resemble something attractive or harmless to their prey, allowing them to get close enough to strike. Let me give you two examples. First, the anglerfish. It lives in the dark depths of the ocean. It has a glowing lure that dangles in front of its mouth, which looks like a small, tasty fish. Smaller fish are drawn to the light, thinking it's a meal, and when they get close, the anglerfish snaps them up. Second, consider the bolas spider. Instead of a web, it produces a single sticky silk thread with a blob at the end. The spider releases a chemical that mimics the pheromone of a female moth. Male moths fly toward the scent, and as they approach, the spider swings its thread and catches the moth. Both examples show how aggressive mimicry exploits the prey's natural instincts.