Question
If you walk through a forest, you'll likely hear leaves rustling in the breeze while twigs crunch underfoot. That's what we hear, but what do the trees hear? Are they speaking to each other? Peter Wohlleben, a German forester who has spent his life studying and caring for trees, says they do. He claims that trees are more intelligent and social than most people think. They can work together and even be friends.
2 His ideas are backed by scientific research. One researcher studied the pulses of electricity that trees give. They seem to carry messages, mainly sending alarms about problems. Trees also communicate with scents. For example, if a giraffe starts chewing acacia leaves on a tree in Africa, the tree sends out a gas. Nearby trees sense the gas and pump bitter chemicals into their leaves. These chemicals can make large plant eaters sick. Trees may even communicate with sound. A researcher in Australia claims some plants produce and detect sounds that humans can't hear.
3 Additionally, trees may communicate through fungi. Underground networks of fungi connect entire forests. Trees use these networks to send messages about dangers such as drought, disease, or insect attacks. The trees receiving these messages change their behavior, giving them a better chance to survive.
4 Scientists are only starting to understand how trees communicate, but it seems clear that they do.
14Select the two correct answers.
Which two facts does the author use to support the claim that trees use fungi to help each other?
The trees change after they receive messages.
Trees send out a gas to warn other trees.
Trees are more social than most people think.
Noises can be heard from the leaves and twigs on the trees.
Trees use networks to tell about dangers.
2 His ideas are backed by scientific research. One researcher studied the pulses of electricity that trees give. They seem to carry messages, mainly sending alarms about problems. Trees also communicate with scents. For example, if a giraffe starts chewing acacia leaves on a tree in Africa, the tree sends out a gas. Nearby trees sense the gas and pump bitter chemicals into their leaves. These chemicals can make large plant eaters sick. Trees may even communicate with sound. A researcher in Australia claims some plants produce and detect sounds that humans can't hear.
3 Additionally, trees may communicate through fungi. Underground networks of fungi connect entire forests. Trees use these networks to send messages about dangers such as drought, disease, or insect attacks. The trees receiving these messages change their behavior, giving them a better chance to survive.
4 Scientists are only starting to understand how trees communicate, but it seems clear that they do.
14Select the two correct answers.
Which two facts does the author use to support the claim that trees use fungi to help each other?
The trees change after they receive messages.
Trees send out a gas to warn other trees.
Trees are more social than most people think.
Noises can be heard from the leaves and twigs on the trees.
Trees use networks to tell about dangers.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The two correct answers that support the claim that trees use fungi to help each other are:
1. **The trees change after they receive messages.**
2. **Trees use networks to tell about dangers.**
These facts highlight how trees respond to messages received through fungal networks, helping them to survive potential threats.
1. **The trees change after they receive messages.**
2. **Trees use networks to tell about dangers.**
These facts highlight how trees respond to messages received through fungal networks, helping them to survive potential threats.