Question

【题目】 In 1848 gold was found in California. Thousands of people rushed there to get some. Many people liked living there. But there wasn’t a whole lot between California (CA) and Missouri (MO), where the nearest trains ran. The train line to California wasn’t finished until 1869.

In I860 and 1861, the Pony Express was the fastest way to get news to and from the West. The trail that they rode was around 2000 miles long. It took most people weeks or months to ride that far. The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days. Those speeds were unheard of at the time. So how did they do it? Well, they had a good system.

The Pony Express had 184 stations along the trail. The stations were around ten miles apart. This is about how far a horse could run at a gallop (疾驰) before tiring. The rider would switch to a new horse at each station. He would only take his mail pouch (邮袋) with him. Every 75-100 miles, the rider would get to a home station. At each home station, riders would rest. The mail never stopped moving, even while the horses and riders rested.

It was tough to ride for the Pony Express. Each rider had to weigh less than 125 pounds. Speed was the key. Most of the riders were teenage boys. They rode at a fast pace for up to 100 miles a day. If there were an emergency, one might have to ride 200 miles in a day.

The Pony Express filled an important role for a time, but it did not last. The Civil War started in April of 1861. On October 24th, 1861, the first telegraph line to California was finished. This linked them to the rest of the country. People could send messages in an instant. Two days later the Pony Express closed.

【1】Which happened first?

A.The Pony Express was started.B.The American Civil War broke out.

C.The train line to California was finished.D.Settlers rushed to California to find gold.

【2】How long did it take the Pony Express to send mail from CA to MO?

A.About 24 hours.B.About ten days.

C.About twenty days.D.About one month.

【3】What would a rider do at the home station?

A.Give his mail to a new rider.B.Rest a while and go on riding.

C.Collect new mail for customers.D.Feed the horse and check the mail.

【4】What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A.To prove communication industry develops rapidly.

B.To explain why horses were used to deliver mail.

C.To describe the I860 - 1861E Fastest Mail Service.

D.To tell the brave stories of the Pony Express.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】A

【4】C

【解析】

本文属于说明文。文章介绍了19世纪60年代，美国加州和密苏里州之间的驿马快信的制度。

【1】

细节理解题。根据第一、二以及最后一段，加州发现金矿是在1848年，大量的人们涌向那里淘金；驿马快信的制度是在1860年才开始的；美国内战发生在1861，加州和密苏里州之间铁路的铁路于1869年完成。由此可知，移民们涌向加利福尼亚寻找黄金是最先发生的。故选D。

【2】

细节理解题。根据第二段“The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days.”可知，美国加州和密苏里州之间的通讯10天之内可以完成。故选B。

【3】

推理判断题。根据第三段“The mail never stopped moving, even while the horses and riders rested.”信息可知，即使在马匹和骑手休息的时候，邮件也从未停止运送，由此推知，骑手是在休息站将邮件交给了另一个骑手。故选A。

【4】

推理判断题。The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days. Those speeds were unheard of at the time. So how did they do it? Well, they had a good system.（驿马快信可以在10天内完成这趟旅程。这种速度在当时是闻所未闻的。那么他们是怎么做到的呢?他们有一个很好的系统。）是全文的主题句，结合全文内容，可知作者写这篇文章的目的是描述I860年到1861年，驿马快信的邮件服务。故选C。