托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry'. Mimicry is when one species evolves to look or behave like another species, often to gain a survival advantage. There are two main types: defensive mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the harmless milk snake. It has evolved to resemble the venomous coral snake. Predators that have learned to avoid coral snakes also avoid milk snakes, giving the milk snake protection without actually being dangerous. This is defensive mimicry. Second, think of the anglerfish. It has a fleshy growth on its head that looks like a small worm. When smaller fish come to eat the 'worm', the anglerfish quickly snaps them up. This is aggressive mimicry, where the mimic attracts prey by imitating something appealing. So, the main point is that mimicry is a powerful evolutionary strategy that can either protect an animal from predators or help it catch prey.