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

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 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 joys 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 best title for this passage would be ______.
选项 A、American Railroad History
B、Settlements Spread Westward
C、The Coast-to-Coast Railroad: A Vital Link
D、The Importance of Trains in the American Economy
答案C
解析 本题是主旨题。文中第一段讲述了美国铁路在19世纪60年代面临的一些问题和取得的成就。第二段讲述了美国修建横贯大陆铁路的过程。第三段讲述了这条横贯大陆铁路对美国尤其是美国西部的影响。因此文章主要讲述的是有关这条横贯大陆，连接太平洋和大西洋沿岸的铁路的内容。所以最适合做文章标题的是C选项。
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