Can trees talk? Yes—but not in words. Scientists have reasons to believe that trees really can talk with each other.
Not long ago, scientists learned about some surprising things. First a willow tree (柳树) was attacked (攻击) in the woods by caterpillars (毛毛虫). The willow tree changed the chemicals of its leaves and made its leaves tasteless so that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. Even more surprisingly, the willow tree sent out a special vapour—a message causing its neighbours to change the chemicals of their own leaves and make themselves taste terrible too.
Talking, of course, doesn't need to be always in words. We can talk with each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use songs, sounds and movements. Bees express themselves by dancing—flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar (花蜜) for honey. So why shouldn't trees have ways of sending messages?
