Plants "talk"
Scientists have known for years that plants react（反应） to sounds around them. But now some scientists have shown that plants also seem to be doing some "talking".
Professor Hadany and her team set up microphones to record tomato plants under different situations. The result showed that the plants made ultrasonic sounds（超声波）.
As the scientists studied the sounds, they notice the regularity（规律性）. Plants hardly clicked（发出咔哒声） when they had enough water.
When scientists cut off a stem from the plants, the plants also clicked more. The result suggests that researchers may one day be able to use a plant's sounds to find out when it is having trouble, and what trouble it is having. That could be very helpful to farmers.
The other research has shown that plants also make sounds to communicate in some ways. When small animals on the plant attack（攻击） a plant, it will give a warning to its neighbors. It's a useful way for plants to protect themselves.
Then here is a question: Is anything listening to the plants? Dr. Hadany point s out that mice who live on plants can hear the sounds. The clicks may tell them whether a plant has problems.
As Dr. Hadany says, "Even in a quiet field, there are actually sounds that we don't hear, and those sounds carry information. The team's research has already changed our ideas about plants."
A. If the plant isn't healthy, they will stay away from it. B. But as their earth got drier, they began to click. C. They can carry information about environmental conditions. D. But the clicking wasn't the same as when the plants needed water. E. Soon, nearby plants start to make chemicals（化学物质） that don't taste good to them. F. When the researchers changed the sounds into ones that humans could hear, they heard clicking noises. |
