托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating adaptation in the animal kingdom: camouflage. But not just any camouflage—I'm focusing on what we call 'disruptive coloration.' This is a strategy where an animal's pattern breaks up its outline, making it harder for predators to recognize it as a single object. Let me give you two clear examples. First, consider the leopard. Its rosette-shaped spots mimic the dappled light and shadows of the forest floor. When a leopard is lying in the grass, those spots break up the smooth contour of its body, so a gazelle might not see a predator but just patches of light and shade. Second, think about the flounder, a flatfish that lives on the ocean bottom. Its body is covered with irregular, blotchy patterns that match the pebbles and sand. As it lies motionless, a passing cod or crab sees not a fish shape but a random collection of stones and debris. In both cases, the key is not just color matching, but the disruption of the animal's outline, which confuses the viewer's perception.