Can trees talk?

人与人之间有着沟通与交流的方式，各种动物、鸟类也都用各种声音、动作来传递信息，蜜蜂也通过跳舞来传播信息。那么大自然中树木有没有自己交流的方式呢？

Can trees talk? Yes.

But not in words. Scientists have reasons to believe that trees do communicate with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars(毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. The even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special vapour — a signal causing its neighbours to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty.

Communication, of course, doesn’t need to be always in words. We can talk to each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar(密) for honey. So why shouldn’t trees have  ways of sending messages?

1. From the passage we know that caterpillars _______.

A. like willow trees                B. enjoy eating fallen leaves

C. can talk to other caterpillars D. can send out a special vapour

2. Caterpillars will stop eating willow tree leaves which _______.

A. have a chemical change and become tasteless  B. have a pleasant taste

C. are being attacked                        D. are communicating

3. According to the passage, bees communicate with each other by _______.

A. talking       B. making unusual sounds    

C. singing songs    D. flying certain patterns

【答案与解析】树同动物们一样也可以用自己的方式交流。

1. A。判断题。正因为毛毛虫觉得柳树叶可口，它们才吃柳树叶的。

2. A。语义理解题。从第 1 段第 4 句话First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars(毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them 可以做出正确选择。

3. D。语义理解题。从第 2 段倒数第 2 句话 …flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar(花蜜) for honey 可以知道bees交流的方式。