Springtails

These tiny animals are one of nature’s greatest success stories!
認識小小生物「跳蟲」 -這些小小生物是大自然最優秀的 物種之一！

Springtails get their name from their ability to, well, spring. When they are disturbed, their tails pop out very quickly. This action sends them springing as high as 100 millimeters into the air. That's amazing since most are only a few millimeters long!

Besides jumping springtails have another special ability. They make the soil cleaner because they eat fungus and dead plant material. Their eating habits help reduce the levels of bad chemicals in the soil.

With more than 6,000 different species, springtails come in many shapes, sizes and colors. These tiny, insect-like creatures live in wet soil in large groups. Some areas have as many a a million springtails per acre of soil! That's why some scientists say springtails are among the most successful animals on Earth.

In 1996 in Austria, fireman were called about a chemical spill. They arrived to find that the area on the road wasn't chemicals, but several million springtails. Springtails often gather together on roads, snow and puddles. They jump together in the same direction. People watching might think a giant puddle is moving.

Grammar Tips:
Springtails get their name from their ability to, well, spring.
well - how something is done.  That was a job well done!
well - here is filler that give people to think.
A: Why did you do that?
B: Well, I wasn't paying attention.
A: Do we all have to clean the kitchen?
B: Well, you could take the trash out.
"well" - get a pause let people to think or have something to say.

Vocabulary Tips:
pop out / popping out/ popped out -弹出，跳出，
*My eyes almost popped out of my head when I heard the news.
pop out -也指“出去,冒出来了”
*Sam popped out to get some pizza and drinks and will be right back.
reduce - make less.减少，降低。
*The doctor suggested Rita reduce her calorie intake to control her weight.
*The company will reduce their workforce by 20%.
species (n) -单，复数拼法相同都要有"s"在字尾。生物的物种，种类，种，外形。
*There's hundreds of species of butterflies in Taiwan.
*This flower species is rare and can only be found in this area.
creature (n) -创造物，生物。 create (v)-创造
*This creature can survive in extreme weather conditions.
creature -人
*I have to keep the secret and cannot tell a single creature. 任何一个人。

Language Tips:
nature -大自然
Mother Nature -大自然之母。大地之母。
personification -凝人化，赋予生命给事物，使其凝人化。
Mother Nature smiled on us with this warm weather.凝人化，称大自然为大自然之母。
nature vs. nurture.自然 vs.养育
nature -自然，天然。
nurture -养育，包括供养，抚育以及教育，训练等。


Taking notes of study "StudioClassroom"