A silkworm is a caterpillar, not an earthworm. It eats mulberry leaves, then spins a cocoon of silk thread, and people unwind that thread to weave silk cloth.

A silkworm is a caterpillar, not an earthwormSilkworm是一種毛毛蟲，不是蚯蚓。It eats mulberry leaves它吃桑葉, then spins a cocoon of silk thread接著吐絲結成蠶繭, and people unwind that thread to weave silk cloth人們再把那些絲抽出來織成絲綢。

The famous one is kept by farmers; it cannot live long in the wild on its own any more. Children meet it in nature class as a small white grub that becomes a moth.

The famous one is kept by farmers那種有名的蠶是農民養的; it cannot live long in the wild on its own any more牠已經沒辦法自己在野外活太久了。Children meet it in nature class小朋友會在自然課裡認識牠, as a small white grub that becomes a moth作為一隻最後會變成蛾的小白蟲。

The word is simple and old, and it is not slang.

The word is simple and old這個字既簡單又古老, and it is not slang而且不是俚語。

Though actually, “worm” here is the old English habit of calling any long, creeping grub a worm. A biologist would say larva or caterpillar. In careful talk you might also hear silkworm moth for the adult, but everyday English still says silkworm for the silk-making stage.

Though actually不過其實, "worm" here is the old English habit of calling any long, creeping grub a worm這裡的「worm」，是古英文把任何長長、會爬的幼蟲都叫做worm的老習慣。A biologist would say larva or caterpillar生物學家會說larva（幼蟲）或caterpillar（毛蟲）。In careful talk you might also hear silkworm moth for the adult在講究的用法裡，成蟲階段你可能會聽到silkworm moth這個說法, but everyday English still says silkworm for the silk-making stage但日常英文在吐絲階段還是說silkworm。