Name: ______________________
Class: _________________
Date: _________
ID: A
Building the Transcontinental Railroad
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Comprehension
Read each of the following questions. Then choose the letter of the best answer.
____
1. What was the transcontinental railroad primarily designed to move from west to east in the United
States?
A mail
B manufactured goods
C natural resources
D people
____
2. Which of these events happened first?
A Chinese immigrants came to California.
B The Civil War ended.
C Congress passed laws to finance the railroad.
D Gold was discovered in California.
____
3. Chinese workers were preferred over many other workers because they were more
A agreeable.
B educated.
C experienced.
D productive.
____
4. Chinese workers were less affected by disease than white workers because they had better
A diet and hygiene.
B medical care.
C natural immunity.
D working conditions.
____
5. Which event caused the Chinese railroad workers to use violence?
A Irish railroad workers attacked them.
B Irish railroad workers cheated in a competition.
C Railroad executives abused them.
D Railroad owners brought in strikebreakers.
____
6. After the completion of the transcontinental railroad, most Chinese workers
A continued to work for the railroads.
B looked for work throughout America.
C moved to South America to find work.
D returned to China to work.
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Name: ______________________
ID: A
Vocabulary
Choose the answer that best explains the meaning of each underlined word.
____
7. Something that is formidable is
A effortless.
B intimidating.
C mindless.
D structured.
____
8. Acting with expedience means acting because of
A impulse.
B principle.
C self-control.
D self-interest.
____
9. Diligence means
A carelessness.
B indulgence.
C industriousness.
D negligence.
____ 10. Systematized means
A isolated.
B magnetized.
C organized.
D scattered.
Short Answer
Written Response
Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of the selection.
11. Chang quotes a Chinese railroad worker claiming that “the Chinese were ‘persecuted not for their
vices but for their virtues’” (lines 145–146). Explain the meaning of this statement. Cite two details
from the selection to support your answer.
12. What were the positive and negative effects of building the transcontinental railroad on the Chinese
workers? Cite details from the selection to support your answer.
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ID: A
Building the Transcontinental Railroad
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
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4.
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
ANS:
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C
D
D
A
A
B
B
D
C
C
PTS:
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8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
SHORT ANSWER
11. ANS:
The Chinese workers did not drink or abandon their work like many of the other workers (lines
65–69). Because they were so hard working and took care of their own room and board, they were
resented by other workers who felt they had to work harder and make less money than they
otherwise would have (lines 146–149, 158–165). The Chinese workers were also abused by the
executives who took advantage of their work ethic (lines 275–281).
PTS: 10
12. ANS:
Students should include some of these effects in their responses.
Positive: Work on the railroad allowed many more Chinese immigrants to come to the United States
(lines 114–131); Chinese workers were able to demonstrate their strong work ethic and skills to their
employers (lines 95–106, 198–220).
Negative: Chinese workers did the most dangerous jobs, working with explosives, and many died
during the course of building the railroad (lines 174–203, 346–350); Chinese workers endured
extreme weather conditions that caused many deaths (lines 235–270); “The Chinese worked longer
and harder than whites, but received less pay” and were severely mistreated (lines 275–281);
Chinese workers were not given official credit for their contributions and were abandoned by the
railroad once the job was completed, forcing them to fend for themselves in a “harsh and hostile
environment” (lines 351–367).
PTS: 10
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