We Americans are wasteful people, not used to saving. Early settlers, our forefathers set us an
example of wasting everything, for they thought nature's resources were so plentiful that none of them
ever imagined that natural materials would be used up in time. Within a few years of the first Virginia
settlement, for example, pioneers burned down their house when they were ready to move west. They
burned down their house with only one aim to get the nails (钉子) for future use . No one ever gave a
thought to the priceless hard woods that went up in smoke. As a people we destroy many valuable
things that other people save. I noticed this when I was living in Britain. I received a letter from one
England's largest banks. It was enclosed in a used envelope that had been readdressed to me. Such a
practice would be unthinkable in the United States. American banks, even the smallest, always use
expensive stationery( 信笺) with the names of all twenty-eight vice-presidents lists on side of the page.
1. The used envelope suggests that______.
A. the English look down upon the Americans
B. the English banks are very poor
C. the English try their best to save
D. the English like using used envelopes
2. Which of the following statements is wrong?
A. The writer lives in Britain now.
B. The American banks use expensive stationery.
C. The Americans are not used to saving.
D. The writer's forefathers burned down their houses in order to get the nails.
3. The purpose of the passage is to _______.
A. wish the Americans not to waste
B. tell us the English are a good people
C. warn the Americans against saving
D. encourage people to work hard
