又中又英｜Rekindle your memory 

又中又英｜Rekindle your memory 

A newspaper article I read recently rekindled my memory about a newspaper article I read many years ago. Both articles were about plants. The article I read recently was about a study that showed plants can make sounds when they are stressed. The article I read many years ago was about Prince Charles, now King Charles, who said he talked to his plants. If something rekindles your memory, it means it makes you remember something from a long time ago. Seeing a picture of your grown-up friends can rekindle your memory about growing up with them.

Humans use their mouths to grouse or grumble when they complain about things. The word "grouse" means a type of bird, but it can also mean complaining in an angry way. If you grumble, it means you complain in an annoyed way. Plants don\'t have mouths but researchers in Israel found they can also make noises when they are stressed. The researchers put plants in soundproof wooden boxes with two microphones pointing at their stems. They found the plants make nervous, popping noises when they are dehydrated (not having enough water) or when their stems are being trimmed. Humans can\'t directly hear these noises but some animals or insects, such as mice and moths, can.

People ridiculed Prince Charles when he said he talked to his plants. But experts now say he wasn\'t barking up the wrong tree. To bark up the wrong tree means to be wrong about the reason for something. Experts now say plants can communicate with each other and talking to them helps them grow.

我最近读到的一篇新闻报道，重新唤起我多年前读过另一篇新闻报道的记忆（rekindled my memory）。那篇我最近读到的文章，是关于一个研究显示，植物在紧张的时候可以发出声响。而我多年前读到的报道，则是关于查理斯王子，即现在的英国国王查理斯三世，说他会跟他的植物说话。若某事rekindles your memory，意即它令你记起很久以前的一些物事。看到你那些已长大成人的朋友的照片，可以唤起你从前跟他们一起长大的记忆（rekindle your memory ）。

人类要抱怨某事时，会用嘴去grouse或grumble。Grouse是松鸡，但它也可以解作愤愤不平地埋怨；若你grumble，意即你在发牢骚、咕哝抱怨。植物没有嘴巴，但以色列的研究员发现他们在紧张的时候也可以制造声音。研究员将植物放在一个隔音的木箱中，用两个咪高峰对着它们的茎。他们发现，当植物不够水份、脱水（dehydrated）时，又或当他们的茎被修剪时，它们就会发出紧张、爆裂的声响。人类不能直接听到这些声响，但一些动物或昆虫，例如老鼠和蛾，就可以。

人们嘲笑查理斯王子说他会跟自己的植物说话。但专家们现在指出，他并非barking up the wrong tree——to bark up the wrong tree是指捕风捉影，找错了事情的缘由、错怪了人。现在专家们说，植物可以互相沟通，而跟它们说话有助它们生长。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻