A
(2021·德州高三检测)America's first transcontinental railroad, completed 150 years ago today at Promontory Summit in Utah, connected the vast United States and brought America into the modern age. Chinese immigrants contributed greatly to this notable achievement, but the historical accounts that followed often ignored their role.
Between 1863 and 1869, as many as 20,000 Chinese workers helped build the dangerous western part of the railroad, a winding ribbon of track known as the Central Pacific. At first, the Central Pacific Railroad's directors wanted a whitesonly workforce. When not enough white men signed up, the railroad began hiring Chinese men for the backbreaking labor. Company leaders were skeptical of the new recruits' ability to do the work, but_they_proved themselves not only capable but even superior to the other workers.
Chinese workers cut through dense forests, filled deep narrow steepsided valley, constructed long trestles (高架桥) and built enormous retaining walls (防护墙) — some of which remain complete and undamaged today. All work was done by hand using carts, shovels and picks but no machinery. However, progress came at great cost: an estimated 1,200 Chinese laborers died along the Central Pacific route.
Despite these facts, Chinese workers were often left out of the official story because of their identity of foreigners. On the transcontinental railroad's 100th birthday, the Chinese workers were still not honored. It was another fifty years later that their role was gradually highlighted. To celebrate the railroad's 150th anniversary in 2019, the California assembly passed a resolution in 2017 to recognize and honor the Chinese railroad workers by designating May 10, 2017, and every May 10 thereafter, as California Chinese Railroad Workers Memorial Day.
语篇解读：本文主要讲述了中国移民对美国第一条横贯大陆的铁路做出的巨大贡献。尽管历史上中国工人对铁路的贡献一直被忽视，但最终中国工人做出的贡献得以被认可。
1．What does “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A．Chinese laborers. B．White workers.
C．Company leaders. D．Railroad directors.
解析：选A 代词指代题。根据第二段中的“When not enough ... the work”可知，当没有足够的白人报名时，铁路开始雇用中国男子从事艰苦的劳动。公司领导对新员工的工作能力表示怀疑，因此推断画线句意为“但他们证明自己不仅有能力，甚至优于其他工人。”they指代上文提到的中国劳动力。故选A。
2．Why does the author make such detailed descriptions in Paragraph 3?
A．To prove Chinese workers' superior skills.
B．To stress the danger and difficulty of the work.
C．To describe the grand scenery along the railroad.
D．To show notable achievements made by Chinese workers.
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第三段可知，本段主要阐述中国工人修建铁路时付出了巨大的代价：估计有1 200名中国劳工在铁路建设中死亡。因此推断详细描述修建铁路的工作过程是为了强调工作的危险和困难。故选B。
3．What does the text intend to tell us?
A．None so blind as those who won't see.
B．No pains, no gains.
C．Truth will come to light sooner or later.
D．Doing is better than saying.
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据最后一段最后一句可推断，尽管历史上中国工人对铁路的贡献一直不被认可，但是最终在2017年他们的奉献得以承认。故C项“纸包不住火”是文章要告诉读者的。故选C。
4．What might be the best title for the text?
A．The Birth of the Central Pacific Cost Dearly
B．May 10 — A Special Day for Chinese Immigrants
C．Chinese Workers' Contributions Gained Recognition
D．The 150th anniversary of the Central Pacific Railroad
解析：选C 标题归纳题。根据第一段第二句以及最后一段最后一句可知，最终，中国工人的贡献得以被认可，故选C。
