1

2

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

The chameleon's uncanny ability to change color has long mystified people,

but now the lizard's secret is out: Chameleons can rapidly change color by

adjusting a layer of special cells nestled within their skin, a new study finds.

1. un canny: very strange and difficult to explain adj.奇怪, 難於解釋的

2. mys tify: if something mystifies you, it is so strange or confusing that

you cannot understand or explain it Vt. 困惑著 (人們)

3

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

The chameleon's uncanny ability to change color has long mystified people,

but now the lizard's secret is out: Chameleons can rapidly change color by

adjusting a layer of special cells nestled within their skin, a new study finds.

3. li zard: a type of reptile that has four legs and a long tail n.蚚蜴

4. ne stle: to move into a comfortable position, pressing your head or body

against someone or against something soft Vi. 找到舒適柔軟的地方而

倚靠之

3.1 rep tile : a type of animal, such as a snake or lizard, whose body

temperature changes according to the temperature around it, and that

usually lays eggs to have babies n.冷血動物

4

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

The chameleon's uncanny ability to change color has long mystified people,

but now the lizard's secret is out: Chameleons can rapidly change color by

adjusting a layer of special cells nestled within their skin, a new study finds.

change color 動詞片語變性 to + change color 變成形容詞片語，修飾ability

變色的能力

adjust a layer…動詞片語變性 adjusting a layer…變成名詞片語

Nestle within …動詞片語變性 Nestled within…變成形容詞片語

5

Unlike other animals that change color, such as the squid and octopus,

chameleons do not modify their hues by accumulating or dispersing

pigments within their skin cells, the researchers found. Instead, the

lizards rely on structural changes that affect how light reflects off their

skin, the researchers said.

1. dis perse: if something disperses or is dispersed, it spreads in different

directions over a wide area Vt.散播, 散佈

2. pig ment: a natural substance that makes skin, hair, plants etc a

particular colour n. 色素

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

6

Unlike other animals that change color, such as the squid and octopus,

chameleons do not modify their hues by accumulating or dispersing

pigments within their skin cells, the researchers found. Instead, the

lizards rely on structural changes that affect how light reflects off their

skin, the researchers said.

change color句子變性為子句 that + V… that change color

He plays basketball every day.

He plays basketball. Animals that change color. 會變色的動物

現在式：和時間無關的，一律用基本款現在式。

He is playing basketball.

He played basketball.

過去式，發生於過去，不會持續發生。

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

7

To investigate how the reptile change color, researchers studied five

adult males, four adult females and four juvenile panther chameleons

(Furcifer pardalis), a type of lizard that lives in Madagascar.

1. rep tile: a type of animal, such as a snake or lizard, whose body

temperature changes according to the temperature around it, and that

usually lays eggs to have babies n.冷血動物

2. ju ve nile: relating to young people who are not yet adults adj.青年

的

3. pan ther: a large wild animal that is black and a member of the cat

family

n.黑豹

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

8

The scientists found that the chameleons had two superposed thick

layers of iridophore cells — iridescent cells that have pigment and

reflect light.

1. iri do phore cells:晶體細胞

2. iri descent: 彩虹色的

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

9

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

See photos of color-changing chameleons

10

The iridophore cells contain nanocrystals of different sizes, shapes and

organizations, which are key to the chameleons' dramatic color shifts.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

11

The chameleons can change the structural arrangement of the upper

cell layer by relaxing or exciting the skin, which leads to a change in

color.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

12

For instance, a male chameleon might be in a relaxed state when it's

hanging out on a branch, and in an excited state when it sees a rival

male.

rival: a person, group, or organization that you compete with in sport,

business, a fight etc n.競爭者, 對手, 敵手

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

13

When the skin is in the relaxed state, the nanocrystals in the

iridophore cells are very close to each other — hence, the cells

specifically reflect short wavelengths, such as blue.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

14

On the other hand, when the skin becomes excited, the distance between

neighboring nanocrystals increases, and each iridophore cell which

contains these nanocrystals selectively reflects longer wavelengths, such

as yellow, orange or red.

neighboring nanocrystals

iridophore cell

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

15

But chameleons aren't always blue. The lizards' skin also contains yellow

pigments, and blue mixed with yellow makes green, a "cryptic" color that

camouflages them among trees and plants.

1. cryp tic: having a meaning that is mysterious or not easily understood,

adj.神秘不易懂的

2. ca mou flage: a way of hiding something, especially soldiers and

military equipment, by using paint, leaves etc to make it look like the

things around it

vt.偽裝

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

16

This male chameleon changed color, from green to yellow.

Its red markings also became more vibrant.

1. marking: things painted or written on something n.標誌

2. vi brant : full of activity or energy in a way that is exciting and

attractive SYN lively Hong Kong is a vibrant, fascinating city.

adj. 興奮有活力的, 充滿生氣的, 活躍的

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

17

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

18

The red skin hue does not change dramatically during excitation, but its

brightness increases.

dramatically

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

19

Furthermore, the researchers found a deeper and thicker layer of skin

cells that reflect a large amount of near-infrared sunlight.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

20

While these cells do not appear to change color, it's possible that they

help the chameleons reflect heat and stay cool, the researchers said.

It (虛主詞)is….that(真主詞)

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

21

The researchers used a number of methods to study the iridophore

cells.

They filmed the chameleons' color changes using high-resolution

videography and made numerical models that predict how the

nanocrystals should reflect light.

The results are a perfect match with what we observe in real life.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

22

The researchers also manipulated the cells by subjecting them to

solutions of varying concentrations, which caused the cells to swell or

shrink.

1. ma ni pu la te : to make someone think and behave exactly as you

want them to, by skilfully deceiving or influencing them

vt.技巧的(瞞騙手法)影響他人, 使他按照你要的方式去做

2. subject somebody/something to something phrasal verb, to force

someone or something to experience something very unpleasant,

especially over a long time vt.使人承受一段很不愉快的經歷, 尤其指

一段不短的期間

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

23

The researchers also manipulated the cells by subjecting them to

solutions of varying concentrations, which caused the cells to swell or

shrink.

1. s well: to becomes larger and rounder than normal – used especially

about parts of the body → swollen vi. 腫脹

2. sh rink: to become smaller, or to make something smaller, through the

effects of heat or water I’m worried about washing that shirt in case it

shrinks. Vi., 因為熱或水的影響, 而收縮, 縮水,變小

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

24

These modifications changed the distances between the nanocrystals,

and altered their visible colors, just as the researchers predicted they

would.

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

25

However, only adult male chameleons change color, especially when

they see a rival male chameleon they want to chase away, or a female

to attract.

Females and young chameleons are dull-colored and have a very

reduced upper layer of iridophore cells.

chase: vi.追, 趕

at tract: vt.吸引

dull-colored adj.不亮的顏色的

reduce vt.減少

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

26

The findings may help engineers and physicists replicate the

chameleon's color-changing capacities in new technology, such as

appliances that eliminate reflection.

finding: n.發現

re pli cate: vt. you do it again, or try to get the same result again 重複做

想得到同樣的結果, 重現

ap pli ance: n. electrical equipment 電器

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

27

The study was published online today in the journal Nature

Communications.

March 10, 2015

Chameleons' Color-Changing Secret RevealedBy Laura Geggel, Senior Writer March 10, 2015

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

28

The color-changing ability of chameleons has always intrigued human

beings.

1. In trigue d: very interested in something because it seems strange or

mysterious pp as adj. 因奇怪或神秘而感到好奇的, 有趣的

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

29

We often think how cool and easy life would be if we could change our

colors, blend in with our surroundings, and camouflage ourselves just

like a chameleon can do.

blend: to become combined in this way vi, 混合

ca mou fla ge : a way of hiding something, especially soldiers and

military equipment, by using paint, leaves etc to make it look like the

things around it vt.偽裝

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

30

We often think how cool and easy life would be if we could change our colors,

blend in with our surroundings, and camouflage ourselves just like a

chameleon can do.

life would be s + v 句子 變性為名詞子句當think的受詞

how cool and easy life would be 變色為名詞子句 (被侍候的, 文靜的公主)

we could change our colors, blend in with our surroundings, and camouflage

ourselves just like a chameleon can do.

s + v,v, and v + o 句子變性為副詞子句, 修飾動詞think

if we could change our colors, blend in with our surroundings, and

camouflage ourselves just like a chameleon can do. 變色為副詞子句 (戴個頭

紗 if 當剽悍的小三嫁為人婦, 侍候動詞think)

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

If

31

It would definitely help us out of any awkward situations!

definitely: without any doubt, certainly, adv.毫無疑問, 必定地, 當然

out of: no longer in a particular state or situation prep. Ph.不再那個樣

子, 免於

awk ward: making you feel embarrassed so that you are not sure what

to do or say adj. 因窘的, 尷尬的手足無措, 說不出話來

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

32

Many of us believe that a chameleon changes its color to camouflage

itself.

However, as it turns out, this is one of the most common and false

myths that people believe.

1. as it turns out: to happen in a particular way, or to have a particular

result, especially one that you did not expect

collocations. 竟然變成這樣

2. myths: an idea or story that many people believe, but which is not

true n.迷失

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

33

Many of us believe that a chameleon changes its color to camouflage itself.

A chameleon changes its color to camouflage itself. 句子

句子, 戴個頭紗 that 變性為名詞子句,當文靜的公主, 被believe侍候去了

that a chameleon changes its color to camouflage itself.變色為名詞子句

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

34

However, as it turns out, this is one of the most common and false

myths that people believe.

However, 轉折語

as 連接詞, 連接兩個子句

it turns out, 和

this is one of the most common and false myths that people believe.

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

35

Why and How Chameleons Change Their Color

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

36

A chameleon changes its color to adjust its body temperature to that of

the outside temperature.

A cold chameleon will turn dark to absorb more heat, while a hot

chameleon will turn lighter in shade in order to reflect the heat from its

body.

Why Does a Chameleon Change its Color

37

Also the change in color in a chameleon can indicate its mood.

An angry chameleon will have a darker color, whereas a chameleon in a

relaxed mood will have a lighter color.

Why Does a Chameleon Change its Color

38

A chameleon, upon seeing a rival, changes its color to darker shades in

order to assert its dominance. On the other hand, a lighter color is used

to attract potential mates.

Why Does a Chameleon Change its Color

39

Chameleons are famous for their quick color-changing abilities.

London is famous for __ fog.

Taiwan is famous for __ tea.

Why Does a Chameleon Change its ColorChameleons are famous for their quick color-changing abilities

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

40

Chameleons are famous for their quick color-changing abilities.

London is famous for its fog.

Taiwan is famous for its tea.

Why Does a Chameleon Change its ColorChameleons are famous for their quick color-changing abilities

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

Culture is the habit of being pleased with the best and knowing why.

Eleg

Create an Established and

Elegant Writing Style

Genre and Style

41