18．Since the first Earth Day in 1970，Americans have got a lot"greener"toward the environment．"We didn't know at that time that 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 10.3million tons a year to 5.5million tons．The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40to 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 1988there were only 600recycling programs； today in 1995there 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!"says Bruce Anderson．
25．According to Anderson，before 1970，Americans had little idea aboutC．
A．the social movement
B．recycling techniques
C．environmental problems
D．the importance of Earth Day
26．Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from？A
A．The grass-roots level．
B．The business circle．
C．Government officials．
D．University professors．
27．What have Americans achieved in environmental protection？D
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．
28．What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph？A
A．Education．B．Planning．
C．Green living．D．CO reduction．
分析 本文属于记叙文题材．在文章中作者介绍了自从1970年第一个地球日成立以来，美国的环境问题有了很大的改善．作者在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．
解答 CADA
25．C 细节理解题．根据文章首段Anderson说的话"We didn't know at that time there even was an environment，let alone that there was a problem with it，可知，在1970年世界地球日开始的时候，人们并不知道环境这个概念，更别说环境问题了，由此可知答案选C．
26．A 细节理解题．根据文章第二段的Business people，political leaders，university professors，and especially millions of grass-roots可知，商人，政界领导，大学教授，尤其是平民百姓们都参与到了保护环境的运动中来，所以保护环境的支持主要来自普通民众，故答案选A．
27．D 推理判断题．根据文章倒数第二段的In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs …and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution．可知，回收工作的改进，先进产品和住房设计的研制开发等措施都有效地减少了污染，改善了环境，故答案选D．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．
28．A 主旨大意题．四个选项内容对于保护环境都是重要的，但是作者在文章末段提到目前几乎每所学校都有关于环境保护的课程，而且通过最后Bruce Anderson说的话"Until we do that，nothing else will change!"可知教育在改变人们保护环境意识，改善环境问题方面至关重要，故答案选A．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
