A very rapid increase in the number of ships sailing between American and European ports began almost immediately after the end of the War of 1812 in order to meet the new need for the regular rapid transportation of mail, light cargoes(货物), and passengers. It was the increase in emigration(移民) to America that for the first time made the carrying of passengers across the Atlantic more profitable(可赚钱的) than the transportation of heavy cargoes. A new type of sailing ship, the packet(邮船), appeared to meet this new demand, and the demand very soon resulted in strong competition among several packet lines. The earliest of these was the Black Ball Line set up in New York in 1816, only a year after the end of the war. The service of this famous line started with four of the new fast packets, each of 400 to 500 tons: the Pacific, the Amity, the James Cooper, and the William Thompson. During the first twenty years of service, the average time from New York to Liverpool was 23 days and the average trip back to New York took 40 days. By the middle of the century packets had increased in size to between 900 and 1, 000 tons and their speed had increased. The Red Jackel once sailed from New York to Liverpool in 13 days, 11.5 hours. The Mary Whiteridge took 4.5 hours off this record on a run from Baltimore to Liverpool. Such speeds were far greater than the average of from 19 to 21 days to Liverpool and from 30 to 35 homeward to New York, but the packets had still set a new standard for transoceanic travel. No wonder that steamships, the first of which tried to compete with the packets in 1838, only began to replace them in the 1850s.
1. The fastest transatlantic voyage by a packet mentioned by the author was from _______.
A. Liverpool to New York B. New York to Liverpool C. Baltimore to Liverpool D. Liverpool to Baltimore
2. According to the author, in which decade(十年) of the 19th century did a steamship first attempt to compete with the transatlantic packets?
A. The 1820s. B. The 1850s. C. The 1840s. D. The 1830s.
3. Which of the following was most important in the development of the fast packets?
A. The increase in the number of people who wanted to go to America.
B. The increase in the number of people who wanted to go to Europe after the War of 1812.
C. The increased demand for the transportation of all kinds of cargoes.
D. The increased volume of mail.
4. The time of the fastest transatlantic crossing mentioned by the author was 13 days and _______.
A. 11.5 hours B.7 hours C. 7.5 hours D. 4.5 hours
【答案与解释】1812年战争后，从欧洲去美国的人数大幅度增加，使得横渡大西洋往返于欧美的航运额急剧上升。为满足需求，赢得市场，邮船出现了并且航速也在不断提高。
1. C。细节题。根据 The Mary Whiteridge took 4.5 hours off this record on a run from Baltimore to Liverpool 可知答案。
2. D。细节题。从最后一句话中的 …the first of which tried to compete with the packets in 1838… 可知答案。
3. A。主旨题。从文章第 2 句话 It was the increase in emigration to America that… 可知答案。
4. B。推断题。根据 The Red Jackel once sailed from New York to Liverpool in 13 days, 11.5 hours. The Mary Whiteridge took 4.5 hours off this record on a run from Baltimore to Liverpool. 可得出结果。
