托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about animal behavior, specifically about how some animals use a clever strategy called 'mimicry' to survive. Now, mimicry isn't just about looking like another animal—it can also be about acting like one, especially to avoid being eaten. One common form is when a harmless species imitates the appearance or behavior of a dangerous one. Take the viceroy butterfly, for example. It looks almost identical to the monarch butterfly, which birds avoid because monarchs taste terrible. By looking like the monarch, the viceroy is less likely to be attacked, even though it's perfectly tasty itself. Another example is the harmless milk snake. It mimics the deadly coral snake with its red, yellow, and black banding. Because predators have learned to avoid coral snakes, they also avoid milk snakes, giving the milk snake a survival advantage. So, in both cases, the key is that mimicry helps harmless species trick predators into thinking they're dangerous, reducing their risk of being eaten.