The invention of the electric telegraph gave birth to the munications industry.Although Samuel B．Morse succeeded in making the invention useful in 1837，it was not until 1843 that the first important telegraph line was constructed.By 1860 more than 50,000 miles of lines connected people east of the Rockies.The following year，San Francisco was added to the network.
The national telegraph network strengthened the ties between East and West and contributed to the rapid expansion of the railroads by providing an efficient means to monitor schedules and routes.Furthermore，the extension of the telegraph，bined with the invention of the steam－driven rotary printing press by Richard
M．Hoe in 1846，revolutionized the world of journalism.Where the business of news gathering had been dependent upon the mail and on hand－operated presses，the telegraph expanded the amount of information a newspaper could supply and allowed for more timely reporting.The creating of the Associated Press as a central wire service in 1846 marked the arrival of a new era (纪元) in journalism.
【小题1】The main topic of the passage is .A．the history of journalismB．the origin of the national telegraphC．how the telegraph network contributed to the expansion of railroadsD．the contributions and development of the telegraph network【小题2】This passage would most likely be found in a .A．U.S. history bookB．book on trainsC．science textbookD．puter magazine【小题3】It can be inferred from the passage that .A．Samuel Morse did not make a significant contribution to the munications industryB．Morse’s invention did not immediately achieve its full potential (潜力)C．the extension of the telegraph was more important than its inventionD．journalists have the Associated Press to thank for the birth of the munications industryC
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(答案→)C
解析：本文主要讲述了美国电报业的发展历程以及它和railroads的发展之间的关系。
【小题1】C 主旨大意题。本文在第一段主要讲述了电报的发展历程。在第二段1,2行The national telegraph network strengthened the ties between East and West and contributed to the rapid expansion of the railroads by providing an efficient means to monitor schedules and routes.说明电报业的发展也加强了美国东西方的railroads的发展。故C项正确。
【小题2】A推理题。文章第一段中详细描述了在各个时期美国的电报业的发展情况，在后几段又提及了美国历史上的铁路的发展，故最有可能是从一部关于美国的历史的书上摘录下来的。故A正确。
【小题3】B 推断题。根据文章2,3行Although Samuel B．Morse succeeded in making the invention useful in 1837，it was not until 1843 that the first important telegraph line was constructed.说明在1837年Morse就让这个发明有用了，知道1843年才有了第一根电话线。说明他的发明没有立刻就起作用。故B项正确。