Revealing Coloration
Many animals use coloration to protect themselves from predators. One defensive strategy involving the use of coloration is what is known as revealing coloration. Animals employing this strategy have an area of bright color on some part of their body, this bright color is usually hidden from predators’ view. When approached by a predator, the animal suddenly reveals the area of bright color, this unexpected display of color startles or confuses the predator and provides the would-be-prey with an opportunity to escape.
托福TPO8口语task4题目 Listening Part:
Now listen to part of a lecture from a biology class.
(male) There’s a large tropical insect called the Peanut Bug. Yes, like the peanuts you eat. Um, and the Peanut Bugs front wings are colored so they blend in with their surroundings. But its back wings, which are usually closed and hidden, have these bright colorful spots on them. And when the Peanut Bugs are attacked, it suddenly opens its back wings and out pop these bright colors. And that surprises the predator and gives the Peanut Bug a chance to get away.
Um, then you have a butterfly called the morpho butterfly. And parts of the morpho butterfly wings are very shiny. They reflect a lot of sunlight. When this butterfly is resting, this shin y part of its wings is hidden. Now morpho butterflies are often attacked by birds. So when a bird approaches, the morpho flies away. And when the morpho flaps its wings, all the bird can see are flashes of light reflected from the morpho’s wings. Those flashes of light make it very difficult for the bird to follow the morpho. And the morpho is usually able to get away.
托福TPO8口语task4题目 Question:
Using the example of the Peanut Bug and the morpho butterfly, explain the concept of revealing coloration.
托福TPO8口语task4答案解析：
1. Reading key
(1.1) Term: Revealing Coloration
(1.2) Definition: a defensive strategy involving the use of coloration is what is known as revealing coloration
2. Listening key
(2.1) Example 1:
(2.1.1) Peanut bug
(2.1.2) Huge colorful spots on back wings that are hidden
(2.1.3) Expose color spot when under attack
(2.1.4) Get a chance to escape when predator is surprised
(2.2) Example 2:
(2.2.1) Morpho butterfly
(2.2.2) Shinny wings that reflect a lot of sunlight
(2.2.3) That makes it hard for the bird to see the butterfly when chasing it
(2.2.4) Bird slows down; butterfly escapes
托福TPO8口语task4范文：
The professor talks about revealing coloration which is a strategy animals use to get away from predators involving the use of colors. In the first example, peanut bugs show the two big bright spots located on their back wings to surprise predators, so it gets a chance to hide or escape. In the second example, the professor talks about morpho butterfly. When it’s attacked by birds, the morpho flies away, and when it flaps its wings, it’s very difficult for the bird to get a good look at them, because morpho’s wings can reflect a lot of sun light. When the bird slows down, the morpho can usually get away.