Riding the Rails

The genre for Riding the Rails West is

• realistic fiction

• biography

• expository text

• folktale

Why did the people want an east to west railroad?

• President Lincoln agreed that a railroad should be built

• people wanted a safer more comfortable way to travel

• people wanted a quicker way to move goods

• a network of railroads connected towns and cities

Before building a railroad, how did pioneers travel west?

• car

• covered wagon

• airplane

• bicycle

Which American President approved the railroad to be built?

• President Kennedy

• President Clinton

• President Washington

• President Lincoln

Which state was the point at which the east and west railroads were joined?

• California

• Utah

• Arizona

• Texas

From which country did most of the railroad workers originate?

• Russia

• Mexico

• China

• Canada

The author writes, "The population boomed in the western states." What does boomed mean in that sentence?

• make a loud, deep, resonant sound

• enjoy a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth

What is an important product that trains carry today?

• silver

• coal

• factories

• gold

Based on the information from this selection, how does the author feel about railroads?

• trains are fun to ride

• railroads are responsible for economic progress in the United States

• railroads are noisy and uncomfortable

• trains are better than cars and airplanes

What was the author's purpose for writing this selection?

• to persuade

• to inform

• to entertain