托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating survival strategy in the animal kingdom: camouflage. Specifically, I want to focus on how some animals use camouflage not just to hide from predators, but also to hunt more effectively. This is called aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the leaf-tailed gecko, found in Madagascar. Its body perfectly resembles a dead, curled-up leaf, including veins and edges. This allows it to blend seamlessly into the forest floor. When an insect, like a cricket, approaches, thinking it's just part of the environment, the gecko strikes quickly. Second, there's the orchid mantis. It has pink and white petals on its body, mimicking an orchid flower. It sits on a flower, and when a bee comes to collect nectar, the mantis grabs it. In both cases, the animal uses its appearance to avoid being noticed by its prey, thus increasing its hunting success. So, the main point is that camouflage is a dual-purpose adaptation—protection and predation—and these examples show how it's used for active hunting.