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

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

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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 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.
The major problems with America’s railroad system in the mid 19th century lay in ______
选项 A、poor quality rails and unreliable stopping systems
B、lack of financial support for development
C、limited railroad lines
D、lack of a transcontinental railroad
答案A
解析 文章第一段提到早期的火车很不实用，而且铁路公司面临着棘手的技术问题，最严重的是修建能够承担一定重量的铁路轨道和开发安全有效的停靠系统。A项与文意所述相近，故选A。
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