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Slithering Snakes Spiders aren’t the only critters that


give people the creeps. In fact, many common phobias involve animals. T ink of rats with whiplike tails, or cockroaches with skittering feet. T en there are slithering, hissing, scaly reptiles. Just imagine you’re resting against


a pile of rocks. Suddenly, something cool slides across your foot. It’s a snake. Another snake slithers out of the rocks, then another. T e rocks are a snake den! Inside, hundreds of snakes were hibernating. Now they’re waking up. You run away just in time. Soon, slithering


snakes cover the ground. Some crawl up small trees. T e snakes hiss. T eir tongues flicker. You’re a safe distance away, but you can


imagine a snake sliding up your leg. T ey are harmless garter snakes. Yet you can almost feel one biting you. Your heart races. You shiver and shake, even though you’re safe.


A harmless whipsnake opens its mouth to look more threatening.


Terrible Teeth A diff erent danger lurks in the sea. You’re in a


boat with scientists observing seals. Suddenly, a tiger shark leaps out of the water. You’re so close that you can see rows of its jagged teeth. T e teeth snap on a seal’s neck. T e seal has


no chance of escape. T e shark thrashes its head back and forth. Its teeth rip off big chunks of seal. T e scientists lean forward to take notes. You fall back, trying to get as far away from the shark as possible. You worry the shark will flip the


boat and toss you in the water. You grip the boat so hard that your knuckles turn white. You gasp for breath. You feel trapped. Panic rises. T e shark slips under the


surface. A pool of red seal blood remains. You can’t see the shark any more, but you know it’s there. You don’t let go of the boat until you’re back on dry land.


A tiger shark uses its jagged teeth to rip apart its prey.


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