摘要：You're walking by a pond when something zooms（快速移动，疾行） past your head. It's bigger than a bumblebee（大黄蜂）. It's faster than a butte

该文讲述了蜻蜓这种动物的飞行能力和独特的生命周期。原作者是Chery Reifsnyder，由Mr. Herbert协助编译。

You're walking by a pond when something zooms（快速移动，疾行） past your head. It's bigger than a bumblebee（大黄蜂）. It's faster than a butterfly. It's an amazing dragonfly!

你正走过一个池塘，突然有东西嗖地飞过你的头顶。它比大黄蜂大，比蝴蝶飞得快。它就是神奇的蜻蜓！

Dragonflies need water during every stage of their life cycle. Adults lay their eggs in water or on plants near water. The young dragonflies live in water for one or more years after they hatch（孵化）.

蜻蜓在其生命周期的每个阶段都离不开水。成年蜻蜓将卵产在水中或靠近水的植物上。蜻蜓幼虫孵化后，会在水中生活一年或更久。

Young dragonflies look very different from adult dragonflies. They have gills（鳃） inside their bodies, which allow them to breathe under the water. Dull green or brown coloring helps them hide from fish, frogs, and other hungry animals.

蜻蜓幼虫看起来与成年蜻蜓大不相同。它们体内有鳃，这使它们能够在水下呼吸。暗淡的绿色或棕色外表有助于它们躲避鱼类、青蛙和其他饥饿的动物。

As dragonflies grow, their skin doesn't grow with them. Instead, young dragonflies shed（蜕皮，脱落） their entire outer layer every time they need to grow. When a young dragonfly is ready to become an adult, it crawls out of the water. The last layer of skin splits open, and the adult dragonfly climbs out.

随着蜻蜓的生长，它们的外皮并不会随之长大。相反，每当蜻蜓幼虫需要长大时，它们就会蜕掉整个外层表皮。当蜻蜓幼虫准备好变成成虫时，它会爬出水面。最后一层外皮裂开，成年蜻蜓就从中爬出。

来源：英语·点一点号