TOEFL Reading Skills 12 & 13

Multiple Choice

Tis forefather of "express" mail service operate between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, and distance of just under 2,000 miles; letters and small packages could be delivered in under 10 days instead of the 3-4 weeks that it had taken prior to the institution of the Pony Express.
Where in the passage does the author mention the amount of time it took deliver a letter before the Pony Express?

• Line 1-2

• Line 1-3

• Line 2-3

• Line 3

Multiple Choice

1) To Americans, the Pony Express was a fixture of the Old West; most Americans are rather surprised to find out that in reality the Pony Express was in existence for only a short period of time. 2) In 1860, St. Joseph was the westernmost terminal of the country's railroad system; mail destined for the West Coast could come to St. Joe by train, but the only way to get it rather west was by horseback. 3) The Pony Express consisted of 80 riders, 400 horses, and 190 stations ever 10 to 15 miles along the route. 4) On October 24, 1861, only a year and a half after the start of the Pony Express, the first transcontinental telegraph opened for business, ending the need for the Pony Express.

What is the author's purpose?

• To warn of the dire effects of ending the Pony Express

• To describe a little-known reality about a historical subject

• To incite readers to action on behalf of the Pony Express

• To describe the development of express mail.

Multiple Choice

What course would the Pony Express passage be good for?

• Veterinary Medicine

• Speech Communication

• Audiology

• American History

Multiple Choice

On October 24, 1861, only a year and half after the start of the Pony Express, the first transcontinental telegraph opened for business, ending the need for Pony Express. The Pony Express officially closed for business on October 26, 1861; obviously its owns were quick to recognize that the need for their services had just been basically wiped out.

Where in the passage does it mention when the Pony Express discontinued?

• Line 1

• Line 2

• Line 3

• Line 4