Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日）
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang
Many people may be familiar with flapjack octopuses thanks to Pearl, a charming character from the Pixar film Finding Nemo. However, her portrayal presents several scientific inaccuracies. In reality, flapjack octopuses are deep-sea creatures, which are unsuitable for the brightly lit shallow reef environment depicted in the film. Their primary defense mechanism relies on their reddish coloration, which would be ineffective in the well-lit shallows. Pearl’s famous line, “You guys made me ink,” is another fictional detail that is not consistent with the observed actions of real flapjack octopuses. As common as it is in many other octopus species, the ability to produce ink is absent in actual flapjack octopuses.
Photo: Reuters I 照片：路透
Another point of confusion is that people frequently mistake flapjack octopuses for Dumbo octopuses, and the same happens in reverse. While both are small and use their fins for movement, there are key differences. Flapjack octopuses have a more rounded body shape, larger eyes, and smaller fins. Furthermore, they are more often orange in color, and their arms are shorter, with more webbing between them.
The depths of the ocean remain largely unexplored, and the flapjack octopus is just one of the many mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Studying these creatures may be challenging, but continued research efforts will, no doubt, reveal further insights into the impressive adaptations of these mysterious beings.
許多人可能對煎餅章魚不陌生，這要歸功於皮克斯電影《海底總動員》中迷人的角色珍珠。然而，她在電影中的呈現存在一些科學錯誤。事實上，煎餅章魚是深海生物，並不適合片中描繪的明亮淺礁環境。煎餅章魚的主要防禦機制是依賴身上的偏紅色彩，這在光線充足的淺水中是無效的。珍珠的名言「都是你們害我吐（墨）了」是另一個虛構的細節，與在真實煎餅章魚身上觀察到的行為不一致。雖然產生墨汁的能力在許多其他章魚物種中很常見，但真正的煎餅章魚並不具備這項能力。
另一個混淆之處是人們經常將煎餅章魚誤認成小飛象章魚，反之亦然。雖然兩者的身形都很小，而且都用鰭來移動，但還是有一些關鍵差異。煎餅章魚的身形更圓、眼睛更大、鰭更小。此外，煎餅章魚的顏色較常是橙色且其手臂更短，手臂間有更多蹼。
海洋深處仍有一大部分未被探索，而煎餅章魚只是隱藏在海面之下的眾多謎團之一。研究這些生物可能具有挑戰性，但無庸置疑的是，持續努力研究會讓我們更深入地了解這些神祕生物令人印象深刻的適應能力。
What Did You Learn?
1. What do we learn about the flapjack octopus’ fins from the Day 1 passage?
(A) They help absorb water into the body. (B) They provide balance for the octopus.
(C) They come in a rounded shape. (D) They aid in detecting predators.
2. Which of the following is NOT a survival mechanism used by the flapjack octopus?
(A) Adopting a color other than red or orange.
(B) Using ocean currents to escape from predators.
(C) Lying flat on the ocean floor to avoid detection.
(D) Propelling itself away from threats by producing a jet of water.
3. Which aspects of the flapjack octopus are incorrectly presented in Finding Nemo?
a. behavior b. diet c. mating d. habitat e. social structure f. growth and development
(A) a, e (B) b, d (C) a, d (D) c, f
4. What does the author mean by “the same happens in reverse” in the 2nd paragraph of the Day 2 passage?
(A) People also confuse other types of octopuses with each other.
(B) People mix up not only marine creatures but also land animals.
(C) People incorrectly believe Dumbo octopuses are flapjack octopuses.
(D) People wrongly assume flapjack octopuses are closely related to Dumbo octopuses.
答案：1. B 2. A 3. C 4. C
Word in Use
1. inaccuracy n. 錯誤，不正確
The news report was filled with inaccuracies and failed to reflect the true situation.
該則新聞報導充滿錯誤，未能反映真實情況。
2. shallow a. 淺的
shallows n. 淺水處（恆用複數）
The shallow end of the pool is perfect for beginners learning to swim.
泳池淺的一邊非常適合初學者學習游泳。
The children played in the shallows, where the water was safe and calm.
孩子們在淺水區玩耍，那區的水安全又平穩。
3. depict vt. 描繪，描述
The movie depicts the life of a young girl growing up in a war-torn country.
這部電影描繪了一名年輕女孩在飽受戰火摧殘的國家中成長的人生故事。
4. defense n. 防禦
The castle was built for defense against enemies.
那座城堡是為了防禦敵人而興建的。
5. ineffective a. 無效的
Ineffective efforts left the issue unresolved.
努力沒有成效，問題仍未解決。
Practical Phrases
1. be familiar with... 對……不陌生，知道……
Are you familiar with using this type of equipment? 你知道要怎麼使用這種設備嗎？
2. in reality 事實上，實際上
The perfect vacation seems wonderful, but in reality, it requires a lot of planning. 完美的假期看似美好，但實際上需要周詳的規畫。
3. rely on... 依賴∕依靠……
Businesses rely on accurate data to make informed decisions. 企業依賴準確的數據來做出明智的決策。
4. no doubt 無庸置疑
The new movie will, no doubt, be a box-office hit given the star cast. 因為有大明星的陣容，這部新電影肯定會十分賣座。
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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