Butterflies are common all over the world, but butterflies in hotter countries are usually bigger and more brightly colored than those in cooler countries, and there are more different kinds.

Usually the male(雄性的) butterflies are more brightly colored than the females. The females have bigger and heavier bodies since they carry the eggs. The bright colors of the males help to attract the females, and the duller(较暗淡的) colors of the females make them less likely(可能的) to be caught by enemies before they have laid their eggs.

Some butterflies have bright pattern colors on the upper surface of their wings thatshow when flying, but when they rest on a tree or leaves, they close their wings. On the undersides of their wings there are green and brown marks which look like the tree or leaves. They are then difficult to be seen. The best example of this is the Dead Leaf Butterfly. When its wings are closed, it looks exactly like a dead leaf. There are even marks that look like the holes in a dead leaf. When the butterfly is run after by a bird, it closes its wings and seems to have disappeared completely.

Many butterflies have round marks on their wings that look like eyes. The round marks have a useful function(功能). When the butterflies are resting, their wings are closed, and these marks can’t be seen. When a bird sees one, and begins to attack it, the butterfly will open its wings. The bird thinks that it sees two eyes staring at it, frightened, and flies away.

Students get a taste of the adult world

For some teenagers, being an adult is the coolest thing in the world. Adults don’t do homework or take exams. They do what they like and earn money. How wonderful! But is it true?

Last month. Grade 7 students at Qiaoyi Middle School in Wuxi, Jiangsu, had a taste of the adult world. They had the homework called “Working with your parents for one day”.

What did they find?

Wu Jing’s mother works as a ticket collector in a park. At 6：00 a.m., the 14-year-old gir1 went to work with her mother. It Was dark and cold. Before the park opened, they did the cleaning, checked tickets and counted change. When the visitors came, they greeted them with a smile. After standing for the whole day. Wu was worn out.

“Every day Mom makes dinner for me and I take it for granted (认为理所当然),” said Wu, “Now I know how tired she must be, I should help her more.”

Li Shiyi, 14, spent her day in a car. Her father is a taxi driver. She picked up call and gave change back. Li thought it’d be easy to sit in a car and tour the city. But soon she found that her father didn't even have time for lunch.

“Now I know how hard it is to earn money ,” Li said, “We should do what we can for our parents and never waste money.”