揽瓜阁阅读做题小分队 第67天 铁路的发展

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Transportation developments have greatly influenced the pace and course of business growth in America. The early turnpike and the canal systems each broadened the market area by lowering costs and speeding distribution. But the influence of railroads dwarfed all of these previous developments. Railroads pioneered many aspects of business administration and enhanced some land values enormously. They also had an important impact on the growth of certain cities. Atlanta, for example, was transformed from a spot in the wilderness to a thriving metropolis as a result of the construction of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

Railroads also provided a large outlet for savings.Their capital requirements were so great that they provided the first big opening for the investment banker – who by the end of the 19th century was in control of many railroads. Railroads, too, because of the stress of competition, both in construction and operation, were the first big firms to experiment with new forms of business organization such as pools and consolidation. It followed – because railroads were so vital to the nation and because their performance was tied in with the business cycle – that the highways which came later were the first form of business to have their operations regulated in large degree by the government.

Finally, railroads were responsible for a great many jobs, at one time more than 2,000,000 workers. Railroads were easily the nation’s largest employers during the post-Civil War, pre-World War I period. In addition they were responsible, indirectly, for tens of thousand of other jobs in the coal, iron, steel, and engineering industries – in such big enterprises, for example, as the Pullman Palace Car Company and the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. \ The Pullman Company, in 1909, was the eighth largest firm in the nation in terms of assets, and practically all of its output went to American railroads. Railroads, actually, were to the period 1850-1915 what the auto industry is to today in terms of being the pacesetter or bellwether of the economy. The biggest difference is that no one railroad ever dominated the rail industry as Ford and GM once dominated the auto industry.

1. Which of the following can be logically inferred from the passage?
A) Early turnpike and canal systems were not largely regulated by the U.S. government
B) Current automakers directly employ more workers than did the railroad industry
C) The Pullman Car Company had more assets than the Westinghouse Brake Company
D) Railroads dramatically increased the land values in Atlanta
E) Highways are more regulated today than railroads.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that the railroad system:
A. Had a greater influence on American markets than the American highway system
B. Required more capital than any other business before
C. Increased all land values across the U.S.
D. Involved strong competition among the companies that formed it
E. Created more employment than any industry before.

3. During the post-Civil War, pre-World War I period, if the railroad business was declining it could be expected that:
A. Investment banking would decline
B. Land values would decline
C. Production at the Pullman Company would decline
D. U.S. savings would decline
E. Car production would increase

参考答案：

ADC

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首段总体阐述铁路系统对美国城市发展的重要性
随后从不同方面具体说明铁路系统的特点，如资金投入大，竞争激烈，国有化管理等。
并且铁路系统在当时提供了众多工作岗位，重要性不言而喻。

塔塔Thanos

ADC

速水愛媛

D D C

Fiona-Zhu

THX FOR SHARING

杀鸡特种兵

DDC

CaryX

DDC

zx700+++

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杀鸡特种兵

第一段：交通影响商业发展的进程和速度，对比turnpike和canal，铁路的影响更加大。影响有：拓展商业部门，增加土地价值，对某些城市的发展影响中重大（举了Atlanta的例子）
第二段：铁路给储蓄去处。资金需求大，投资银行家在十九世纪公职了很多铁路。其次因为竞争，成为最早产生联营合并的企业。因为是国家经济命脉所以政府管理车程度高（？）
第三段：铁路创造很多职业。本身创造的职业，带动相关产业（煤钢等）。举例Pullman。铁路对1850——1915很重要就像auto对今天，不同的是没有一个铁路dominated，像福特和通用dominated auto.

杀鸡特种兵

It followed – because railroads were so vital to the nation and because their performance was tied in with the business cycle – that the highways which came later were the first form of business to have their operations regulated in large degree by the government.
这句话不太理解吖，因为铁路对国家很重要并且和经济周期密切相关，所以后来出现的高速公路是第一个由政府管理的？“were the first form of business to have their operations regulated in large degree by the government.”的修饰对象是highways吧，关铁路什么事呢，逻辑不明白……以及这个意思是 铁路是自由运营还是政府运营？