Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日)
Contrary to popular belief, lobsters are not naturally red. This common misconception arises from how they look when they’re cooked. While alive, lobsters display many different colors. Boiling water breaks down the different colors in lobster shells to expose the natural red pigments in their shell. Interestingly, underneath their shells, lobsters have blue blood. While vertebrates, like humans and fish, have red blood due to the iron found in it, the high copper content in the blood of many invertebrates, including lobsters, makes it blue instead.
The ways lobsters observe the world are also quite different from *that of humans. Though they have eyes, lobsters gain much more information about their environment from the three sets of antennae on their heads. The longest pair is used to poke around and feel their surroundings, while the two smaller sets sense chemical changes in the water. To scare away predators, they can vibrate their outer shells to make threatening sounds.
Photo: AdobeStock 照片:AdobeStock
Lobsters are so much more than just a seafood delicacy — they’re unique creatures with a long history. Take a close second look next time you see one of these cool crustaceans.
這裡的that為單數代名詞,等於 the way,意指人類觀測這個世界的方法只有一種。
與普遍觀念相反,龍蝦並非天生呈現紅色。這種普遍的誤解源於牠們被烹煮時的外觀。活的龍蝦呈現許多不同顏色。沸騰的水會分解龍蝦殼中的不同顏色,使其露出蝦殼的自然紅色色素。有趣的是,在殼之下,龍蝦擁有藍色的血液。像是人類和魚類等脊椎動物因血含有鐵而擁有紅色血液,而許多無脊椎動物(包括龍蝦)血液中的高銅含量則是讓其血液呈現藍色。
Photo: AdobeStock 照片:AdobeStock
龍蝦觀測世界的方式也與人類相當不同。儘管龍蝦有眼睛,但牠們是透過頭部的三對觸角來獲取更多關於環境的訊息。最長的那對用於四處戳探以及感知周圍環境,而另外兩對較小的觸角用來感應水中的化學變化。為了嚇跑掠食者,牠們可以震動其外殼來發出具威脅性的聲音。
龍蝦不僅僅是美味的海鮮佳餚,牠們是一種歷史悠久的獨特生物。下次你看到這些酷炫的甲殼動物時,不妨再仔細觀察一下。
What Did You Learn?
1. What does “left alone” in the second paragraph mean?
(A) Living by themselves.
(B) Lacking companionship.
(C) Not disturbed or bothered.
(D) Not ignored by other lobsters.
2. What do we learn about the blood of lobsters?
(A) It causes lobsters to turn red when they are cooked.
(B) Lobster blood is colder than human blood.
(C) It has the same amount of iron as our blood.
(D) The copper in their blood makes it blue.
3. How do lobsters warn away potential attackers?
(A) By stabbing with antennae.
(B) By striking with the head.
(C) By making sounds.
(D) By using claws.
4. Which of the following is NOT true about lobsters?
(A) Lobsters only use their eyes to observe the environment.
(B) Live lobsters come in various colors, not just red and blue.
(C) Lobsters can tell when the water is different around them.
(D) Female lobsters typically live longer than their male counterparts.
答案
1. (C)
2. (D)_
3. (C)
4. (A)
Word in Use
4. diverse a. 各式各樣的,多樣的
The museum’s collection is diverse, featuring art from different time periods.
這座博物館的藏品多元,擁有不同時期的藝術品。
5. adapt vi. 適應
adapt to N/V-ing 適應……
When Andy first got into the fashion industry, he had a hard time adapting to his new job.
安迪剛進時尚產業時,他很難適應他的新工作。
Practical Phrases
4. break down... / break... down 分解……
The acid in our stomachs helps break down the food we eat.
胃酸有助於分解我們吃下肚的食物。
5. scare away... / scare... away 嚇走……
The bear scared away a lot of people from the campsite.
那隻熊嚇走了露營區的許多人。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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