Passage Two

　　The establishment of Earth Day began with an idea proposed in October 1969 by John McConnell，a San Francisco resident.

　　McConnell approached the San Francisco Board of Supervisors with a resolution to devote one day a year to public awareness dedicated to nature and the fragile ecosystem that comprises it.The day’s events would emphasize the urgency of all inhabitants of the planet to take responsibility for building a healthy and ecologically sustainable planet.The board was impressed with McConnell’s idea and declared Earth Day an annual celebration to be held on March 21，the date of the vernal equinox.McConnell stated，“This is the moment when night and day are equal throughout the earth—reminding us of Earth’s beautiful systems of balance which humanity has partially upset and must restore.’’

　　Earth Day was established as a national day of celebration in the United States in 1 970 and was embraced by the United Nations in 1 97 1 when it declared an Earth Day ceremony to be held each year on the day of the March Equinox.In 1970，Senator Gaylord Nelson，proposed an Earth Week for the third week in April and together with Bruce Anderson，an architect of solar energy and environmental author, co-founded Earth Day USA.The first national Earth Day was celebrated in the United States on April 22，1 970.Twenty million participants nationwide took part in teach-ins，street demonstrations，and workshops in 2,000 communities and 12，000 college and high school campuses.The major public concern at that time was industrial pollution and its effect on the air we breathe，the water we drink，and the health of the planet we live on.Those celebrations led to overwhelming public outcries for legislation mandating ecologically sound environmental policies and rigid controls on industrial pollution.

　　Over the years, the issues of concern have expanded greatly into all aspects of air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Whether it comes from vehicles, factories, agriculture, housing, or private property, public concern and activism continue unabated with citizens from around the world involved in efforts to achieve a sustainable and enduring ecosystem.

　　Questions 6-10 are based on Passage Two.

　　6. This passage mainly discusses ______.

　　A. how Earth Day originated and developed

　　B. why Earth Day was set on the day of vernal equinox

　　C. why John McConnell proposed the idea of Earth Day

　　D. what the major public concern was in the 1970s

　　7. Earth Day was first proposed to ______.

　　A. reflect public concern for industrial pollution at the time

　　B. call for legislation on environment

　　C. achieve a sustainable and enduring ecosystem

　　D. raise the public awareness of nature and the ecosystem

　　8. The major concern of the first national Earth Day in the United States was _______.

　　A. deforestation and desertization

　　B. air pollution and water pollution

　　C. agricultural waste and pesticide use

　　D. industrial pollution and its effect

　　9. According to the last paragraph, people have now realized ______.

　　A. the establishment of the Earth Day can do little to save our planet

　　B. the importance of protecting our environment and the ecosystem

　　C. John McConnell’s proposal played an important role in saving our planet

　　D. the issues of concern of Earth Day have expanded greatly into all aspects of air, water, soil, and noise pollution

　　10. The word “enduring” in the last sentence probably means ______.

　　A. lasting

　　B. tolerating

　　C. strengthening

　　D. deteriorating