🎬 A Chameleon’s Colors (变色龙的色彩)
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There are 202 species of chameleon in the world that scientists know about.目前科学家已知，世界上有202种变色龙。
42% of these different types of chameleons live in Madagascar.42%的变色龙种类生活在马达加斯加。
These creatures are famous for their ability to change color.这些动物以改变颜色的能力而闻名。
For a long time, scientists thought chameleons changed color to hide from other animals.很长时间以来，科学家认为变色龙变色是为了躲避其他动物。
But now they know that the main reason chameleons change color is to communicate with each other.现在他们知道，变色龙变色的主要原因是相互交流。
Chameleons can change color to attract other chameleons or to warn them to go away.变色龙可以变色来吸引其他变色龙，或警告它们离开。
They can use their colors to show that they are angry or scared.它们可以用颜色表示愤怒或害怕。
Sometimes their colors also change because of changes in the temperature.有时，温度变化也会引起它们的颜色变化。
So, if chameleons don't change colors to hide from predators, how do they stay safe?如果变色龙不靠变色躲避捕食者，它们如何保证安全呢？
It turns out that chameleons stay safe by moving back and forth in a strange way.原来，它们用一种奇怪的方式来回移动，以保证安全。
By following this odd system of movements, the chameleon looks less like a moving animal按照这种独特的动作方式移动时，变色龙看起来不太像移动的动物，
and more like a leaf being blown by the wind.而更像一片被风吹动的树叶。
A chameleon's tongue is very long and moves very fast.变色龙的舌头很长，而且移动速度非常快。
To catch food, a chameleon hides in the trees until an insect walks by.为了捕食，变色龙藏在树上，直到有昆虫经过。
Then it shoots out its tongue to catch the insect.然后，它会弹出舌头，抓住昆虫。
A chameleon can catch insects as far away as two times its body length.变色龙能抓住距离自己两倍体长的昆虫。
A chameleon's tongue is made of bone and muscles.变色龙的舌头由骨骼和肌肉构成。
And the end of its tongue is very sticky.它的舌头末端非常黏。
The muscles at the back of the tongue prepare the sticky parts to shoot out.舌头后部的肌肉让黏性部分做好弹出的准备。
Just like how a person pulls back the string of a bow to get ready to shoot an arrow.这就像一个人拉开弓弦，准备射出箭一样。
Then they let go.然后，它们松开。
The tongue shoots forward at a great speed and the insect is caught in the blink of an eye.舌头快速弹出，眨眼间就抓住了昆虫。
Chameleons are amazing creatures, but like many other animals, they're in trouble.变色龙是奇妙的动物，但和许多其他动物一样，它们正面临困境。
Many species of chameleons are endangered.很多种变色龙已经濒危。
This is because the forests and other areas where they live are disappearing or are being changed by people.这是因为它们生活的森林和其他地区正在消失，或被人类改变。
And when the area is changed too much, it becomes hard for chameleons to live there.当一个地区被改变得太多，变色龙就很难在那里生存。
Scientists are working to help endangered chameleon species by learning as much as they can about these colorful creatures.科学家正尽可能多地了解这些色彩丰富的动物，以帮助濒危的变色龙。
Before You Watch
“Chameleons can change color to attract other chameleons or to warn them to go away.”
“To catch food, a chameleon hides in the trees until an insect walks by. Then it shoots out its tongue …”
While You Watch B
Critical Thinking · Reflecting. If you were a scientist studying animals, what animal would you study? What would you like to find out about this animal?
教师参考要点
Possible answer: the aardvark. How does it use its large snout, long ears, and tail? Choose an animal and explain what you would study.
Vocabulary Review
Reading A
Reading B
🏆 Reading Explorer 1 · Unit 1 大满贯荣誉证书
1A 精读、1B 精读与 A Chameleon’s Colors (变色龙的色彩) 视频拓展