17．On a number of drives throughout my childhood，my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I，in my late teens and early twenties，sat impatiently in the car．
Though Mother's Day follows Earth Day，for me，they have always been related to each other．My mom has been"green"since she became concerned about the environment．Part of this habit was born of thrift （节俭）．Like her mother and her grandmother before her，mom saves glass jars，empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags．
Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship with wildlife in her yard．She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders （给食器） out at night，it is likely that they will be knocked down by a family of raccoons （浣熊）．Spiders that make their way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose in the garden．
I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment．On busy streets，we look for dandelions （蒲公英） to fly in the wind； we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags．This teaching comes easily，I realize，because I was taught so well by example．Mom didn't need to lecture； she didn't need to beat a drum to change the world．She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinct for protection．
I am slowing down and it isn't because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet，it is out of my concern for the planet itself．I've begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes．I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above my house．
Last summer，in the company of my son and daughter，I planted tomatoes in my yard．With the heat of August around me，I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands．Warm from the sun，it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom．
54．Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother's Day？B
A．Because Mother's Day falls shortly after Earth Day．
B．To stress how much her mother cares about the environment．
C．Because her mother shows her how to be friendly to nature on Mother's Day．
D．To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists．
55．We can infer from the article thatA．
A．the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well．
B．the author's mother used to lecture her to protect the environment．
C．the author believes that only by learning to slow down can we enjoy life．
D．the author's mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard．
56．The writer's attitude towards her mom's behavior changed in the order ofD．
A．understanding-critical-approving
B．approving-doubtful-negative
C．doubtful-critical-positive
D．negative-understanding-approving．
