首页
登录
职称英语
The Snake’s Forked Tongue 1. One of the most intriguing physi
The Snake’s Forked Tongue 1. One of the most intriguing physi
游客
2025-02-07
23
管理
问题
The Snake’s Forked Tongue
1. One of the most intriguing physical characteristics of snakes is their forked tongues. While this trait is also shared by some types of lizards, all snake species exhibit split tongues, which usually have a more
pronounced
fork than those of lizards. Any observer of snakes has no doubt noticed that they often stick their tongues out of their mouths, flick them up and down in the air, and then retract them. In fact, due to a slight indentation in the upper jaw, many species can protrude their tongues without even opening their mouths.
2. The explanation for this behavior remained unknown for centuries, giving rise to many
folk superstitions.
For example, the forked tongue has become synonymous with deceit, from the idea that two separate tongues would enable a creature to voice two contrasting ideas at the same time. Another popular misconception is that snakes sting other animals with their tongues. Recently, though, scientists uncovered the truth about the forked tongue, and its actual use is much less sinister.
3. Snakes differ greatly from humans on a sensory level. On the one hand, their eyesight is poor and they lack outer ears so they cannot hear with much volume or clarity, but, on the other, some have the ability to "see" and hunt in the dark by sensing the body heat of their prey.
In addition, snakes have a method of smelling that is peculiar in that it is actually performed by the tongue rather than by the nostrils and nasal cavities, which in fact undertake other functions, such as breathing.
When a snake flicks its tongue around in the air, it is actually
snaring
chemical particles, which can be thought of as odors. Next, the snake brings its tongue back in and places it against the roof of its mouth, where there are two small openings that correspond to the two tips of the forked tongue.
These
make up the snake’s Jacobson’s organ, a kind of chemoreceptor that analyzes the chemical odors on the tongue and sends this information to the snake’s brain.
4. This technique for "smelling" the surrounding environment is truly unique, but even more amazing is the reason why the snake’s tongue is forked. By spreading the tips apart when the tongue is flicked out, each samples chemical particles from a slightly different position in the air and brings them back to the Jacobson’s organ.The organ then determines which tip was exposed to a larger amount of the particles in question, and this data tells the snake where the source of the odor can be found. In other words, if the tongue’s right tip contains more of the particles, such as those of an animal’s chemical odor, the snake knows that to find the animal it must travel to the right, not to the left.
5. Obviously, the ability of snakes to pursue scents in this fashion is very useful in hunting,A It has been proven to be quite accurate, allowing them to pick up the trail of rodents and other prey even though the animal itself may be a great distance away.B Similarly, if the odor the snake
perceives
belongs to a predator, it is able to adjust its course to steer clear of the danger, C Another suggested use of snakes’ sense of smell is that it aids them in ascertaining the locations of communal dens*, where snakes reside in groups during the winter months.D
6. However, scientists who have studied the chemoreception process in snakes believe its most vital role is in the detection of mates. Because most snakes lead solitary lives for much of the year, the capability of males to track down females during the mating season is essential for the survival of snake species. A male does this by sampling the air for the pheromones of a female. The chemical odor given off by the female gives the male all the information he needs, including whether she is of the same species, whether she is ready to mate, and in which direction she is traveling. Without the olfactory use of their tongues, it would be much harder for snakes to reproduce.
den* the home of certain types of wild animals such as lions or foxes [br] According to Paragraph 3, how do the senses of snakes differ from those of humans?
选项
A、Snakes use their nostrils and nasal cavities when smelling.
B、Snakes have less developed hearing abilities than humans.
C、Snakes’ eyesight is better at night than during the day.
D、Snakes’ sensitivity to heat is less than that of humans.
答案
B
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3947463.html
相关试题推荐
Tastebuds,smallsensory(organ)locatedonthetongueandpalate,(recognize)
Whatdoesthepassagemainlydiscuss?[br]Theword“intriguing”inline5iscl
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
TheSnake’sForkedTongue1.Oneofthemostintriguingphysi
随机试题
[audioFiles]2018m6x/audio_ezfj_007_180622[/audioFiles]SuperstitionOnepers
BiologicalMimicryTheInventionofVelcro
汽车号牌视频自动识别系统的彩色不小于16位。()
A.燥湿健脾,祛风散寒 B.燥湿消痰,下气除满 C.化湿行气,温中止泻,安胎
能使细菌吸附到黏膜上皮细胞上的结构是A.荚膜 B.鞭毛 C.菌毛 D.R因
某款策略类竞技游戏在所有时刻都有10^26种可以选择的操作,并且是一种不完全信息
一般来说,设立流动性风险指标的阈值作为限额时,通常考虑的因素有()。A.银行的
商业助学贷款的借款人要求提前还款的,应提前( )个工作日向贷款银行提出申请。A
下列关联方关系及其交易的相关审计程序的说法中,不恰当的是( )。A.如果适用的财
下列保温材料中,广泛应用于屋面和墙体保温,可代替传统的防水层和保温层,并且具有一
最新回复
(
0
)