2. 外语
  3. A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement(新拓居地)spread ever farther we

A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement(新拓居地)spread ever farther we

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问题     A rapid means of long-distance transportation became a necessity for the United States as settlement(新拓居地)spread ever farther westward. The early trains were impractical curiosities, and for a long time the railroad companies met with troublesome mechanical problems. The most serious ones were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the development of a safe, effective stopping system. Once these were solved, the railroad was established as the best means of land transportation. By 1860 there were thousands of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward to the Mississippi. There were also regional southern and western lines.
    The high point in railroad building came with the construction of the first transcontinental system. In 1862 Congress authorized two western railroad companies to build lines from Nebraska westward and from California eastward to a meeting point, so as to complete a transcontinental crossing linking the Atlantic seaboard with the Pacific. The Government helped the railroads generously with money and land. Actual work on this project began four years later. The Central Pacific Company, starting from California, used Chinese labor, while the Union Pacific employed crews of Irish laborers. The two groups worked at remarkable speed, each trying to cover a greater distance than the other. In 1869 they met at a place called Promontory in what is now the state of Utah. Many visitors came there for the great occasion. There were joyous celebrations all over the country, with parades and the ringing of church bells to honor the great achievement.
    The railroad was very important in encouraging Westward Movement. It also helped build up industry and farming by moving raw materials and by distributing products rapidly to distant markets. In linking towns and people to one another it helped unify the United States.  
What most likely made people think about a transcontinental railroad?
选项 A、The possibility of government support for such a task.
B、The need to explore Utah.
C、The need to develop the railroad industry in the west.
D、The need to connect the east coast with the west.
答案D
解析 本题属于事实细节题。提问的是什么使得人们能够出现修建跨大陆铁路系统的想法。从第二段第二句话得知，国会授权两家铁路公司修一条跨大陆铁路线，东起Nebraska向西修筑，西起California向东修筑，最后到达一个会合点，以此可以穿越大陆，把大西洋海岸和太平洋海岸连接起来。由此可知，修筑这条铁路是为了把东海岸和西海岸连接起来。所以，正确答案是D)项。
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