单选题
In the 18th century, New York was smaller than
Philadelphia and Boston. Today it is the largest city in America. How to explain
the change in its size and importance? To answer this question
we must consider certain facts about geography, history and economies. Together
these three will explain the huge growth of America's most famous
city. The map of the Northeast shows that four of the most
heavily-populated areas in this region are around seaports. At these points
materials from across the sea enter America, and the products of the land are
sent there for export across the sea. Economists know that
places where transportation lines meet are good places for making raw materials
into completed goods. That is why seaports often have cities nearby. But cities
like New York needed more than their geographical location in order to become
great industrial centers. Their development did not happen simply by
chance. About 1815,when many Americans from the east coast had
already moved to the west, trade mutes from the ports to the central regions of
the country began to be a serious problem. The slow wagons of that time, drown
by horses or oxen, were too expensive for moving heavy freight very far.
Americans had long admired Europe's canals. In New York State a canal seemed the
best solution to the transportation problem. From the eastern end of Lake Erie
all the way across the state to the Hudson River there is a long trip of low
land. Here the Erie Canal was constructed. After working for several years it
was completed in 1825. The canal produced an immediate effect.
Freight costs were cut to about one-tenth of what they had been. New York City,
which had been smaller than Philadelphia and Boston, quickly became the leading
city of the coast. In later years, transportation routes on the Great Lakes were
joined to routes on the Mississippi River. Then New York City became the end
point of a great inland shipping system that extended from the Atlantic Ocean
far up to the western branches of the Mississippi. The new
railroads made canal shipping not as important as before, but it tied New York
even more closely to the central regions of the country. It was easier for
people in the central states to ship their goods to New York for export
overseas. Exports from New York were greater than imports.
Consequently, shipping companies were eager to fill their ships with passengers
on the return trip from Europe. Passengers could come from Europe very cheaply
as a result. Thus New York became the greatest port for
receiving people from European countries. Many of them remained in the city.
Others stayed in New York for a few weeks, months or years, and then moved to
other parts of the United States. For these great numbers of new Americans, New
York had to provide homes, goods and services. Their labor helped the city
become great.
单选题
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A. The Development of Transportation in New York.
B. Exports and Imports of New York.
C. How New York Became America's Largest City?
D. How New York Exchanged with Europe?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 由第一段 Today it is the largest cay in America．How to explain the change in its size and importance可知，全文都在解释纽约是怎样变成美国第一大城市的。
单选题
Which of the following respects did NOT help New York become the most
famous city?
A. Culture.
B. History.
C. Economics.
D. Geographical location.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 由文章第二段第一句话To answer this question we must consider certain facts about geography，history and economies可知。
单选题
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The Erie Canal connected Lake Erie and the Hudson River.
B. Economists are for the opinion that places where farming is done are good
for making raw materials into finished goods.
C. Wagons drawn by horses or oxen soon proved to be better and cheaper than
canal transportation.
D. The coming of the railroads caused New York to become less important as a
shipping center.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 由第五段最后三句可知，伊利运河把伊利湖和哈德孙河连接了起来。
单选题
Freight costs were reduced to 10% of what they had been because of
______.
A. the decline in taxes
B. the construction of the railroads
C. the construction of the Erie Canal
D. the development of industry
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 由第六段前两句话The canal produced an immediate effect．Freight costs were cut to about onetenth of what they had been可知。
单选题
Why were passengers from Europe able to travel to New York so cheaply?
A. Because the ships were lime crowded on the trip back to New York.
B. Because shipping companies were eager to fill their ships with passengers
on the return trip from Europe.
C. Because the shipping companies wanted to develop travelling industry in
New York.
D. Because few Europeans longed to visit New York.