Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment（环境）. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement. Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many, many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.
According to US government reports, emissions（排放）from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with , the world is a safer and healthier place .A kind of “Green thinking ” has become part of practices .
Great improvement has been achieved .In 1988 there were only 600 recycling（回收利用）programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600 .Advanced lights ,motors , and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution .
Twenty –five years ago , there were hardly any education programs for environment .Today , it’s hard to find a public school , university , or law school that does not have such a kind of program .” Until we do that, nothing else will change! ” say Bruce Anderson.
60. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___
A. the social movement B. recycling techniques
C. environmental problems D. the importance of Earth Day
61. Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?
A. The grass –roots level B. The business circle
C. Government officials D. University professors
62.. What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?
A. They have cut car emissions to the lowest
B. They have settled their environmental problems
C. They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.
D. They have reduced pollution through effective measures.
63. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?
A. Education B. Planning
C. Green living D. CO reduction
【考点】考察新闻报道类阅读
【文章大意】作者在本文中把现在的美国环境问题和以前的环境问题进行了比较，尤其是几项数据的对比。说明人们现在的环境保护意识有了很大的提高。其中很重要的一项就是环境教育所起的作用。
1. 【答案】C
【试题解析】细节题。根据文章第一段第2句“We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.可知在1970年世界地球日开始的时候，人们甚至都不知道有“环境这个词”，更不要说知道存在着环境问题了。故C正确。
2. 【答案】A
【试题解析】细节题。根据文章第二段2,3行Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement.中的especially millions of grass-roots Americans尤其是千百万的一般民众。可知环境保护的主要支持来自普通民众。故A正确。
3. 【答案】D
【试题解析】推理题。根据第二段4,5行According to US government reports , emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .可知通过人们的共同努力，现在的污染排放的数字已经大大地减少了。故D正确。A项中的to the lowest是错误的。B项说已经解决了污染问题，这一说法是错误的。文章中只是说The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .CO排放超标的城市从40降低到9.而不是C项含义。
4. 【答案】A
【试题解析】推理题。根据文章最后一段1,2行Twenty –five years ago , there were hardly any education programs for environment .Today , it’s hard to find a public school , university , or law school that does not have such a kind of program .可知现在几乎每个学校都有环境保护方面的教育的内容。说明教育在环境保护方面有很重要的作用。故A正确。
【长难句解析】
1.“We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,”
【翻译】在那时人们甚至都不知道有“环境这个词”，更不要说知道存在着环境问题了。
【分析】本句中的动词know后面的there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,”是宾语从句，其中的let alone更不必说…；
2. The number of cities producing CO2 beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9 .
【翻译】产生超过CO2排放标准的城市的数量从40减少到了9个。
【分析】本句中的现在分词短语producing CO2 beyond the standard在句中做定语修饰名词cities。因为两者之间存在主动关系，所以使用现在分词做定语，相当于which produce….；另外本句中的the number of“…的数量”，在句中做主语，谓语动词使用单数形式。
