【趣谈英语】关于黑脉金斑蝶的奇事-A Myth About Monarchs

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

 

ingest: to eat or drink

tell apart: to distinguish a difference between people and things

hind¹: back

non-toxic: not poisonous

resemble: to look alike

mimicry³: a survival technique where one species evolves to resemble another species

 

A Myth About Monarchs⁵

Monarch⁴ butterflies look pretty, but taste horrible. Birds that eat these orange and black butterflies feel so sick they avoid monarchs for the rest of their lives. Those who have ingested a monarch usually avoid the viceroy too. The viceroy and monarch are hard to tell apart.The viceroy is slightly smaller and has an extra black band on its hind wing. For over one hundred years, scientists thought the viceroy was a non-toxic mimic² that evolved over time to look like a monarch. This type of survival skill is called Batesian mimicry, after a 19th century naturalist⁶ named H.W. Bates. New research that came out in the 90’s suggests that this theory of monarchs and viceroys is a myth. In fact, the monarch and the viceroy are both foul⁷ tasting. By resembling each other, both species have a better chance of survival. This type of mimicry is called Müllerian mimicry. Many textbooks and websites continue to describe the viceroy as a Batesian mimic.

1 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

2 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

3 mimicry   

n.（生物）拟态，模仿

参考例句：

• One of his few strengths was his skill at mimicry.他为数不多的强项之一就是善于模仿。
• Language learning usually necessitates conscious mimicry.一般地说，学习语言就要进行有意识的摹仿。

4 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

5 monarchs   

君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Monarchs ruled England for centuries. 世袭君主统治英格兰有许多世纪。
• Serving six monarchs of his native Great Britain, he has served all men's freedom and dignity. 他在大不列颠本国为六位君王服务，也为全人类的自由和尊严服务。 来自演讲部分

6 naturalist   

n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)

参考例句：

• He was a printer by trade and naturalist by avocation.他从事印刷业，同时是个博物学爱好者。
• The naturalist told us many stories about birds.博物学家给我们讲述了许多有关鸟儿的故事。

7 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！