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.

1.60. 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

解析：选C。【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第一段第二句“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. 可知当时人们连什么是环境都不知道，更不用说知道存在的环境的问题了。所以C正确。

2.61. 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.

解析：选A。【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第二段第二句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可知普通民众在环境保护的问题中起着主要作用，是最有力的支持者。故A正确。

3.62. 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.

解析：选D。【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段第四句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. 可知在人们和政府的不懈努力下，如今污染排放现象已经大大地减少了。而A项中的to the lowest是错误的，并不是降到了最低；所以B项中污染问题已经得到解决也是错误的。并且文章中只是说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，而不是降低了40个城市的一氧化碳的排放，所以C项也是错误的。只有D项是最贴切的。

4.63. What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?

A Education.

B Planning.

C Green living.

D CO reduction.

解析：选A。【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段前两句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，对比25年前，现在环境保护方面的教育课程几乎普及每个学校。由此体现出在环境保护方面有很重要的作用应是教育。所以选A。