On a number of drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull ove

On a number of drives throughout my childhood, mymother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of theroad or rescue a beetle from tragedy while I, in my late teens and earlytwenties, sat impatiently in the car.

Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, theyhave always been related to each other. My mom has been “green” since shebecame concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, momsaves glass jars, empty cheese containers and reuses her plastic bags.

Mom creates a kind of harmonious relationship withwildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little earlyto avoid the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders(给食器) out at night, it is likely that they will be knockeddown by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that maketheir way into the house and are caught in juice glasses will be set loose inthe garden.

I try to teach my children that looking out for theenvironment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, welook for dandelions (蒲公英) to fly in the wind; we say hello toneighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comeseasily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need tolecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply sloweddown enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came mercy and an instinctfor protection.

I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weightof my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planetitself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and reuse packing envelopes. I pause inmy daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other in the trees above myhouse.

Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, Iplanted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the firstwhile sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burston my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

1.. Why does the author say Earth Day is connectedwith Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her familyare environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because her mother shows her how to be friendly tonature on Mother’s Day.

2.. Which of the following is NOT related to Mom’s“green life”?

A. Rescuing a beetle from a certain tragedy. 

B. Saving glass jars, empty cheese containers.

C. Setting a caught spider free in the garden 

D. Picking dandelions on busy streets.

3.. We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author realizes that she should teach herchildren by example as well

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of thewildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slowdown can we enjoy life

D. the author’s mother used to lecture her to protectthe environment.

4.. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A. Tomatoes make the author think of her mother.

B. The author likes eating tomatoes planted byherself.

C. Planting tomatoes is a way of protectingenvironment.

D. The author really appreciates her mother’steaching.

5.. The writer’s attitude towards her mom’s behaviorchanged in the order of ______.

A. understanding — critical — approving

B. approving — doubtful — negative

C. negative — understanding — approving

D. doubtful— critical— positive

试题答案

【答案】

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.D

5.C

【解析】

试题