Both the steamboat and the railroad system with its steam-powered trains revolutionized transport in the United States in the nineteenth century. Entire regions that would hardly have been touched, especially in the West, were opened up to settlement and exploitation. In a geographic sense, the impact of the steamboat and railroad was simply immense. Some historians have argued further that they were the key to the rapid economic growth experienced by the United States in the middle decades of the century. The railroad, especially, not only lowered transport costs but caused a surge in the output of the iron, coal, and engineering sectors. It thus was a driving force in economic development.
In recent decades economic historians have attempted to quantify the economic impact of railroads. Both Robert Fogel and Albert Fishlow found that, with appropriate investments in canals and roads, the total of railroad services for a typical year in the late nineteenth century could have been provided by other means, at a cost of just a couple years’ worth of economic growth. Moreover, the effect of railroads on the iron and coal industries had been greatly exaggerated.
Still, Fogel recognized that he could not measure the dynamic effects that railroads might have had. By tying markets together, they allowed firms to operate at a much larger scale than previously. By facilitating personal travel, they increased the flow of ideas and likely had a significant impact on the rate of innovation, because technological innovation generally involves the synthesis of diverse ideas. The fact that firms were exposed to a wider range of raw materials and new marketing opportunities must also have spurred innovative activity.
The railroad also speeded up the decline in travel times that had been underway for decades with improved roads, stagecoaches, canals, and steamboats. In 1790, it took one week to reach Maine from New York City and two weeks to reach Florida, and no stagecoaches crossed the Appalachian Mountains (courageous travelers would spend at least five weeks reaching the present site of Chicago). By 1860, a New Yorker could reach Maine in a day, and Florida in three; most dramatic was the fact that by rail Chicago was now only two days away. Soon, rail travel between East Coast and West Coast cities would occur at speeds that would have amazed earlier generations. Although automobiles and airplanes would further reduce travel times in the next century, the impact of the railroad was arguably more profound. Many regions that had previously been isolated were now enveloped in the national economy.
The social effects went beyond the strictly economic. Travel for pleasure became a possibility for many, given the high speed and low cost of railroad travel. With the freedom to travel came a greater sense of national identity and a reduction in regional cultural diversity. Farm children could more easily acquaint themselves with the big city, and easterners could readily visit the West. It is hard to imagine a United States of continental proportions without the railroad. Arguably, because of its speed, the railroad also changed the way that people from the United States viewed nature: as a distant and passing scene, rather than as an immediate experience.
The impact on local economies could be huge. Many towns began as division points where trains changed their crews and steam locomotives were resupplied with water. Others became industrial centers because the railroad linked them to materials and markets. On the other hand, those towns and regions without access by rail to coal suffered competitively in the age of steam. Farmers who would otherwise have been limited to a local market were able to specialize in crops best suited to their soil and climate. Local manufacturers based on local resources were affected in the same way.
Finally, the railroad had major impacts on how goods were distributed: first wholesalers, in the 1850s, and then department stores, chain stores, and mail-order companies from the 1870s created large national markets for goods. As happened with changes in distribution ushered in by improvements to roads in the eighteenth century, these developments changed the way that producers operated. In the final decades of the nineteenth century, some major companies created large hierarchical organizations to manage both large-scale production and national marketing of their goods.
1
Both the steamboat and the railroad system with its steam-powered trains revolutionized transport in the United States in the nineteenth century. Entire regions that would hardly have been touched, especially in the West, were opened up to settlement and exploitation. In a geographic sense, the impact of the steamboat and railroad was simply immense. Some historians have argued further that they were the key to the rapid economic growth experienced by the United States in the middle decades of the century. The railroad, especially, not only lowered transport costs but caused a surge in the output of the iron, coal, and engineering sectors. It thus was a driving force in economic development.
The word “immense” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Aunmatched
Bhard to believe
Chard to understand
Denormous
2
Still, Fogel recognized that he could not measure the dynamic effects that railroads might have had. By tying markets together, they allowed firms to operate at a much larger scale than previously. By facilitating personal travel, they increased the flow of ideas and likely had a significant impact on the rate of innovation, because technological innovation generally involves the synthesis of diverse ideas. The fact that firms were exposed to a wider range of raw materials and new marketing opportunities must also have spurred innovative activity.
Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
ALike most technological innovations, the means to facilitate personal travel came about as a result of the synthesis of diverse ideas.
BRailroads probably increased the rate of technological innovation by making it easier for people in different places to meet and share ideas.
CThe flow of ideas that resulted from technological innovation led to an increased interest in personal travel by railroad.
DTechnological innovation generally involves the combination of diverse ideas and thus increases as the flow of information increases.
3
The railroad also speeded up the decline in travel times that had been underway for decades with improved roads, stagecoaches, canals, and steamboats. In 1790, it took one week to reach Maine from New York City and two weeks to reach Florida, and no stagecoaches crossed the Appalachian Mountains (courageous travelers would spend at least five weeks reaching the present site of Chicago). By 1860, a New Yorker could reach Maine in a day, and Florida in three; most dramatic was the fact that by rail Chicago was now only two days away. Soon, rail travel between East Coast and West Coast cities would occur at speeds that would have amazed earlier generations. Although automobiles and airplanes would further reduce travel times in the next century, the impact of the railroad was arguably more profound. Many regions that had previously been isolated were now enveloped in the national economy.
The word “courageous” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Apatient
Bbrave
Cinexperienced
Dprepared
4
The railroad also speeded up the decline in travel times that had been underway for decades with improved roads, stagecoaches, canals, and steamboats. In 1790, it took one week to reach Maine from New York City and two weeks to reach Florida, and no stagecoaches crossed the Appalachian Mountains (courageous travelers would spend at least five weeks reaching the present site of Chicago). By 1860, a New Yorker could reach Maine in a day, and Florida in three; most dramatic was the fact that by rail Chicago was now only two days away. Soon, rail travel between East Coast and West Coast cities would occur at speeds that would have amazed earlier generations. Although automobiles and airplanes would further reduce travel times in the next century, the impact of the railroad was arguably more profound. Many regions that had previously been isolated were now enveloped in the national economy.
According to paragraph 4, why did railroads arguably have a bigger impact on the United States than automobiles or airplanes did?
ARail travel was less expensive than automobile or plane travel.
BRailroads connected communities in a countrywide economic system.
CRailroads made up a bigger proportion of the national economy.
DThe transition to rail travel happened more quickly.
5
The social effects went beyond the strictly economic. Travel for pleasure became a possibility for many, given the high speed and low cost of railroad travel. With the freedom to travel came a greater sense of national identity and a reduction in regional cultural diversity. Farm children could more easily acquaint themselves with the big city, and easterners could readily visit the West. It is hard to imagine a United States of continental proportions without the railroad. Arguably, because of its speed, the railroad also changed the way that people from the United States viewed nature: as a distant and passing scene, rather than as an immediate experience.
According to paragraph 5, which of the following was NOT one of the social effects of railroads?
AWidely separated areas of the country became more culturally similar.
BTraveling for fun became much more common.
CMany people began to worry about changes in the natural world.
DPeople began to identify more strongly as citizens of the United States.
6
The impact on local economies could be huge. Many towns began as division points where trains changed their crews and steam locomotives were resupplied with water. Others became industrial centers because the railroad linked them to materials and markets. On the other hand, those towns and regions without access by rail to coal suffered competitively in the age of steam. Farmers who would otherwise have been limited to a local market were able to specialize in crops best suited to their soil and climate. Local manufacturers based on local resources were affected in the same way.
Which of the following is mentioned in paragraph 6 as one of the effects that railroads had on local economies?
ARailroads divided many towns in half with the industrial center on one side and a residential area on the other.
BManufacturers that used local resources went out of business because they could not compete in larger markets.
CNew towns were created in places where fresh crews boarded trains and locomotives were readied for activity.
DTowns and regions without access to railroads developed alternative ways to use steam power.
7
The impact on local economies could be huge. Many towns began as division points where trains changed their crews and steam locomotives were resupplied with water. Others became industrial centers because the railroad linked them to materials and markets. On the other hand, those towns and regions without access by rail to coal suffered competitively in the age of steam. Farmers who would otherwise have been limited to a local market were able to specialize in crops best suited to their soil and climate. Local manufacturers based on local resources were affected in the same way.
Paragraph 6 suggests that before the introduction of railroads some farmers did not grow the crops best suited to the local soil and climate because
Athey lacked knowledge about the most productive farming methods
Bthey did not have access to the necessary tools and supplies
Cthey had a limited supply of workers
Dthey could sell their crops only to local markets
8
Finally, the railroad had major impacts on how goods were distributed: first wholesalers, in the 1850s, and then department stores, chain stores, and mail-order companies from the 1870s created large national markets for goods. As happened with changes in distribution ushered in by improvements to roads in the eighteenth century, these developments changed the way that producers operated. In the final decades of the nineteenth century, some major companies created large hierarchical organizations to manage both large-scale production and national marketing of their goods.
In paragraph 7, why does the author mention the large hierarchical organizations created by some major companies?
ATo argue that these types of organizations were based on the business model used in railroad companies
BTo provide examples of changes during this time period that were not related to the railroads
CTo identify a specific way that some producers changed in response to the effect of railroads on the distribution of goods
DTo explain why department stores, chain stores, and mail-order companies were able to expand in the 1870s
9
The railroad also speeded up the decline in travel times that had been underway for decades with improved roads, stagecoaches, canals, and steamboats. In 1790, it took one week to reach Maine from New York City and two weeks to reach Florida, and no stagecoaches crossed the Appalachian Mountains (courageous travelers would spend at least five weeks reaching the present site of Chicago).[■] By 1860, a New Yorker could reach Maine in a day, and Florida in three; most dramatic was the fact that by rail Chicago was now only two days away. [■] Soon, rail travel between East Coast and West Coast cities would occur at speeds that would have amazed earlier generations. [■] Although automobiles and airplanes would further reduce travel times in the next century, the impact of the railroad was arguably more profound. [■] Many regions that had previously been isolated were now enveloped in the national economy.
Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
On June 4, 1876, a train arrived in San Francisco, California, only 83 hours and 39 minutes after leaving New York City.
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
The development of the railroad transportation system in the nineteenth century greatly changed life in the United States.
ABy making it possible for industries to reach needed resources and new markets, railroads significantly increased the country’s economic growth.
BNew studies by researchers like Fogel and Fishlow reveal the large impact that railroads had in tying together the markets for industrial goods like iron and coal.
CThe fast and inexpensive personal travel provided by the railroad system allowed people to explore different parts of the country, leading to social change.
DAlthough railroads eventually connected the far West to the rest of the country, travel for personal enjoyment occurred mainly in the eastern part of the country.
EBecause railroads connected local producers to distant markets, it made sense for many of them to specialize in what they grew or manufactured, and large-scale production companies appeared.
FIn the late nineteenth century, the influence of the railroads declined with the rise of large hierarchical companies that engaged both in production and distribution.
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