动物有视觉和听觉等各种感觉，能够互相交流。而植物没有这些感觉，是不是就无法交流了呢？科学研究表明，植物也会用它们特有的方式来交流。
Plants can "talk" to each other
by George Dvorsky
Plants can't move, nor are they capable of verbal expression, so they've had to evolve other ways of responding to (and warning others of) their unfavorable conditions.
capable /ˈkeɪpəb(ə)l/ adj. 有能力的
verbal /ˈvɜːb(ə)l/ adj. 口头的、说出来的
expression /ɪkˈspreʃ(ə)n/ n. 表达（由express加后缀-ion变成名词）
evolve /ɪˈvɒlv/ v. 进化
respond /rɪˈspɒnd/ v. 回应、做出反应
unfavorable /ʌnˈfeɪv(ə)rəb(ə)l/ adj. 不顺利的、令人不快的（由favorable加上表示否定的前缀un-）
condition /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 环境、生活条件
Previous studies have shown that plants can communicate with each other by sending chemical signals through the soil, but the extent to which these messages are influenced by above-ground physical events are poorly understood.
communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ v. 交流、沟通
chemical /ˈkemɪk(ə)l/ adj. 化学的
signal /ˈsɪɡn(ə)l/ n. 信号
soil /sɔɪl/ n. 土壤
extent /ɪkˈstent/ n. 范围、程度
influence /ˈɪnfluəns/ v. 影响
physical /ˈfɪzɪk(ə)l/ adj. 有形的、客观存在的
poorly /ˈpʊəli/ adv. 很差地（由poor加后缀-ly变成副词）
New research published in PLoS One shows that the leaves of some plants are sensitive to touch, and that the rubbing of their vegetative elbows sets off a chemical stress signal underground. When related plants receive this "I'm getting crowded!" signal, they alter their growth patterns in response.
publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ v. 发表
sensitive /ˈsensɪtɪv/ adj. 敏感的
rub /rʌb/ v. 搓、磨
vegetative /ˈvedʒɪtetɪv/ adj. 植物的、植物性的
elbow /ˈelbəʊ/ n. 肘、肘部
set off 启动、引发
underground /ˌʌndəˈɡraʊnd/ adv. 在地面之下（由under和ground组成）
related /rɪˈleɪtɪd/ adj. 有亲缘关系的
alter /ˈɒltə(r)/ v. 改变
growth /ɡrəʊθ/ n. 生长
pattern /ˈpæt(ə)n/ n. 模式、方式
response /rɪˈspɒns/ n. 回应、响应
Velemir Ninkovic from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences made this observation while experimenting on corn seedlings, which he grew in a growth solution. Ninkovic took some corn seedlings and lightly brushed their leaves to simulate the touch of a nearby plant leaf. This caused the seedling to secrete chemicals out from its roots and into the growth solution. When Ninkovic tried to grow new seedlings using this chemical-infused bath, the new plant grew more leaves, but fewer roots, when compared to controls.
Swedish /ˈswiːdɪʃ/ adj. 瑞典的
agricultural /ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l/ adj. 农业的（由agriculture加后缀-al变成形容词）
observation /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 观察（由observe加后缀-ation变成名词）
experiment /ɪkˈsperɪment/ v. 做实验
seedling /ˈsiːdlɪŋ/ n. 幼苗
solution /səˈluːʃ(ə)n/ n. 溶液
brush /brʌʃ/ v. 刷、轻擦
simulate /ˈsɪmjuleɪt/ v. 模拟
cause /kɔːz/ v. 造成
secrete /sɪˈkriːt/ v. 分泌
chemical /ˈkemɪk(ə)l/ n. 化学物质
root /ruːt/ n. 根
infuse /ɪnˈfjuːz/ v. 注入、充满
bath /bɑːθ/ n. 装液体的容器
control /kənˈtrəʊl/ n. 对照者（在实验中未做改变的实验对象）
To make sure this wasn't some random response, the researchers conducted a second experiment. Corn seedlings were planted in the presence of two different growth solutions, one in which plants had been touched and one in which they hadn't.
make sure 确保
random /ˈrændəm/ adj. 随机的、偶然的
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
conduct /kənˈdʌkt/ v. 做、实施
plant /plɑːnt/ v. 种植
presence /ˈprez(ə)ns/ n. 在场
The researchers watched as the seedling's primary root inched towards the growth solution of the untouched, unstressed plants. This indicated that the seedlings, who were siblings, could tell the difference between the two growth solutions.
primary /ˈpraɪm(ə)ri/ adj. 主要的
inch /ɪntʃ/ v. 缓慢前进
untouched /ʌnˈtʌtʃt/ adj. 未被触摸的（由touch的过去分词加上表示否定的前缀un-）
unstressed /ʌnˈstrest/ adj. 未受到压力的（由stress的过去分词加上表示否定的前缀un-）
indicate /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ v. 表明
sibling /ˈsɪblɪŋ/ n. 兄弟姐妹
tell the difference 说出不同之处、辨别
In terms of an evolutionary explanation, it serves two purposes – one altruistic（利他的）, one selfish. By transmitting the stress signal, the plant helps its genetic kin to avoid a crowded area and the need to grow more leaves to capture a potentially dwindling resource: sunlight. At the same time, however, the signaling plant is also ensuring that an already crowded area doesn't get even more crowded.
in terms of 就…而言
evolutionary /ˌiːvəˈluːʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adj. 进化的（由evolution加后缀-ary变成形容词）
serve two purposes 起两个作用
transmit /trænzˈmɪt/ v. 传输、传送
genetic /dʒəˈnetɪk/ adj. 基因的
kin /kɪn/ n. 家族
capture /ˈkæptʃə(r)/ v. 捕获
potentially /pəˈtenʃ(ə)li/ adv. 潜在地、可能地（由potential加后缀-ly变成副词）
dwindle /ˈdwɪnd(ə)l/ v. 减少、变小
resource /ˈriːsɔːs/ n. 资源
signal /ˈsɪɡn(ə)l/ v. 发信号
ensure /ɪnˈʃʊə(r)/ v. 确保
"Our results show that the above-ground plant-plant communication by brief touch can provoke responses in nearby non-touched plants through below-ground communication," write the authors in the new study. "This indicates that responses to neighboring plants can be significantly affected by the physical conditions to which these neighbors are exposed."
communication /kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 交流、沟通（由communicate加后缀-ion变成名词）
provoke /prəˈvəʊk/ v. 引发、激起
non- 前缀，表示否定
neighboring /ˈneɪb(ə)rɪŋ/ adj. 附近的、邻近的
significantly /sɪɡˈnɪfɪk(ə)ntli/ adv. 显著地（由significant加后缀-ly变成副词）
affect /əˈfekt/ v. 影响
expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/ v. 暴露、直接接触
This study reveals a level of complexity never seen before in underground plant-to-plant interactions. Incredibly, messages about what's happening above-ground can be communicated below the surface to neighboring relatives.
reveal /rɪˈviːl/ v. 揭示
level /ˈlev(ə)l/ n. 水平、程度
complexity /kəmˈpleksəti/ n. 复杂性（由complex加后缀-ity变成名词）
interaction /ˌɪntəˈrækʃ(ə)n/ n. 相互作用
incredibly /ɪnˈkredəbli/ adv. 令人难以置信地
surface /ˈsɜːfɪs/ n. 表面（这里指地面）
relative /ˈrelətɪv/ n. 亲戚
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