高中(學測,指考)◆英文題庫下載題庫

 48-51為題組

        Some animals have organs in their bodies that produce light. When it is dark, they flash their lights on and off to signal to others of their species, to lure prey toward them, or to escape from predators.

        Some fish are found to produce light in the blackness of the sea. When night falls over the Red Sea, tiny flashlight fish rise to the surface for food, each with a pair of “headlamps,” one beneath each eye. With the light produced by bacteria living there, they communicate with other flashlight fish to avoid getting too close to each other, so that the fish may spread out evenly to get enough food. And if a flashlight fish is threatened by a predator, it swims away in a zigzag path, flashing its light on and off very quickly to confuse the animal pursuing it. 

        Certain land animals can also produce light. Fireflies, small beetles that live in many warmer parts of the world, use light to attract a mate. After darkness falls in some parts of North America, female fireflies gather on the ground. The males fly overhead, flashing light from the undersides of their bodies. As there are a number of species of firefly, the males of each kind flash their own particular signal. Recognizing the flashing code of her own species, a female signals back to the male, and he lands beside her. 

        On land as in the sea, living lights can be deceiving. When they are hungry, some female fireflies lure the males of other species to them. They flash a false response when these males signal overhead, but eat them when they land.