On April 22nd, more than 190 countries, including the United States, will celebrate Earth Day. It is a day to reflect on the impact humans have on the earth, and to demonstrate and reaffirm our support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day was planned as a Teach-in, a day to inform about environmental issues. Earth Day's founder, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist who was outraged by the lack of political response to gross environmental degradation throughout the country, said that he was "convinced that all we need to do to bring an overwhelming insistence of the new generation that we stem the tide of environmental disaster is to present the facts clearly and dramatically. Every university should set aside one day in the school year - the same day across the Nation - for the teach-in." His plan worked: over 20 million people turned up for Senator Nelson's first Earth Day Teach-in on April 22, 1970. And from then on, the movement grew spontaneously, creating its own momentum with no central organization.

This year, the United States marks Earth Day by highlighting the need to curb the dramatic growth in the world's mismanaged waste and marine debris. Mismanaged waste pollutes the terrestrial environment and flows into our ocean, affecting marine health everywhere. Marine debris, including microplastics in the ocean, can lead to declining global fish stocks, and costs billions of dollars to fisheries, tourism, and other industries. The United States is working internationally to encourage technological innovation in the waste sector, to spur new infrastructure investment and private sector engagement, to collaborate in scientific research, to promote market solutions, and to raise public awareness about the threats of unmanaged waste and marine debris. On Earth Day 2018, we celebrate the ingenuity of those who are rising to the many challenges to protect our environment and natural heritage while promoting economic growth and shared prosperity.

1. impact n. the powerful effect that sth. has on sb. / sth. 巨大影响；强大作用。例如：the environmental impact of tourism旅游事业对环境的巨大影响

2. teach-in n. an informal lecture and discussion on a subject of public interest （以公众关注的事情等为题的）宣讲会，座谈会

3. outrage v. to make sb. very shocked and angry 使震怒；激怒。例如：He was outraged at the way he had been treated. 他对所遭受的待遇感到非常愤怒。

4. momentum n. the ability to keep increasing or developing 推进力；动力；势头。例如：The fight for his release gathers momentum each day. 为争取他获释而进行的斗争声势日益壮大。

5. curb v. to control or limit sth., especially sth. bad 控制，抑制，限定，约束（不好的事物）。例如：He needs to learn to curb his temper. 他得学着控制自己的脾气。

6. debris n. (formal) pieces of material that are not wanted and rubbish / garbage that are left somewhere 残渣；垃圾；废弃物。例如：Clear away leaves and other garden debris from the pond.

把池塘里的树叶和其他庭园垃圾清除干净。

7. shared prosperity 共同繁荣

On April 22nd, more than 190 countries, including the United States, will celebrate Earth Day. It is a day to reflect on the (Q1) __________________ humans have on the earth, and to demonstrate and reaffirm our support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day was planned as a Teach-in, a day to inform about environmental issues. Earth Day's founder, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist who was (Q2) ___________ by the lack of (Q3) _______________________ to gross environmental degradation throughout the country, said that he was "convinced that all we need to do to bring an overwhelming insistence of the new generation that we stem the tide of environmental disaster is to present the facts clearly and dramatically. Every university should set aside one day in the school year - the same day across the Nation - for the teach-in." His plan worked: over 20 million people turned up for Senator Nelson's first Earth Day Teach-in on April 22, 1970. And from then on, the movement grew (Q4) ________, creating its own momentum with no central organization.

This year, the United States marks Earth Day by (Q5) ______________________ to curb the dramatic growth in the world's  mismanaged waste  and marine debris. Mismanaged waste pollutes the terrestrial environment and flows into our ocean, affecting marine health everywhere. Marine debris, including microplastics in the ocean, can lead to declining global fish stocks, and costs billions of dollars to fisheries, tourism, and other industries. The United States is working internationally to encourage (Q6) _______________ in the waste sector, to spur new (Q7) ____________________ and private sector engagement, to collaborate in scientific research, to promote market solutions, and to raise (Q8) __________________________ about the threats of unmanaged waste and marine debris. On Earth Day 2018, we celebrate the (Q9) ______________ of those who are rising to the many challenges to protect our environment  and natural heritage while promoting  economic growth and (Q10) _______________.

(Q1) impact

(Q2) outraged

(Q3) political response

(Q4) spontaneously

(Q5) highlighting the need

(Q6) technological innovation

(Q7) infrastructure investment

(Q8) public awareness

(Q9) ingenuity

(Q10) shared prosperity

On April 22nd, more than 190 countries, including the United States, will celebrate Earth Day. It is a day to reflect on the (Q1) impact humans have on the earth, and to demonstrate and reaffirm our support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day was planned as a Teach-in, a day to inform about  environmental issues. Earth Day's founder, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist who was (Q2)outraged by the lack of (Q3) political response to gross environmental degradation throughout the country, said that he was "convinced that all we need to do to bring an overwhelming insistence of the new generation that we stem the tide of environmental disaster is to present the facts clearly and dramatically. Every university should set aside one day in the school year -- the same day across the Nation -- for the teach-in." His plan worked: over 20 million people turned up for Senator Nelson's first Earth Day Teach-in on April 22, 1970. And from then on, the movement grew (Q4) spontaneously, creating its own momentum with no central organization.

This year, the United States marks Earth Day by  (Q5)highlighting the need to curb the dramatic growth in the world's mismanaged waste and marine debris. Mismanaged waste pollutes the terrestrial environment and flows into our ocean, affecting marine health everywhere. Marine debris, including microplastics in the ocean, can lead to declining global fish stocks, and costs billions of dollars to fisheries, tourism, and other industries. The United States is working internationally to encourage (Q6) technological innovation in the waste sector, to spur new (Q7) infrastructure investment and private sector engagement, to collaborate in scientific research, to promote market solutions, and to raise (Q8) public awareness about the threats of unmanaged waste and marine debris. On Earth Day 2018, we celebrate the (Q9)ingenuity of those who are rising to the many challenges to protect our  environment and natural heritage while promoting  economic growth and (Q10)shared prosperity.