In this age of texts and tweets, it is easy to send messages. You just press a few buttons, and boom! Your message is sent. The person to whom you sent it will get it in just a few seconds. Distance is no lo nger an issue. But things weren 't always so easy. In 1848 gold was found in California. Thousands of people rushed there to get some. Many people lik ed living there an d decided to stay. But there wasn't a whole lot between California and Missouri, where the nearest trains ran. The train line to California wasn't finished unti l 1869. It took a long time to ride a horse to Missou ri. Imagine that it is the year 1860. You have moved to California to open a shop. Most of your family stayed back Ea st. Your shop is doing well and now you want your family to join you. How do you get news to them? There' s no phone, no train, and you can't leave your shop for too long. What do you do? Well , you could use the Pony Express.
In 1860 and 1861, the Pony Express was the fastest way to get news to and from the West. The trail that they rode was around 2000 miles long. It took most people weeks or months to ride that far. The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days. Those speeds were unheard of at the time. So how did they do it? Wel l, they had a good syste m.
The Pony Express had 184 stations along the trail . The stations were around ten miles apart. This is abo ut how far a horse could run at a gallop before tiring. The rider would switch to a new horse at each station. He would only take his mail pouch with him. Every 75-100 miles, the rider would get to a home station. At each home station, riders would rest. Before resting, hewould give his mail pouch to a new rider. The mail never stopped moving even while the horses and riders rested.
It was tough to ride for the Pony Express. Each rider had to weigh less than 125 pounds. Speed was the k ey. Most of the riders were teenage boys. They rode at a fast pace for up to 100 miles a day. If there were an emergency, o ne might have to ride 2 00 miles in a day. The ride coul d be rough and dangerous . Attacks b y Native Americans were common. But in its time running, the Pony Express only lost one mail pouch.
The Pony Express filled an important role for a time, but it did not last. The Civil War started in April of 1861. Th is was bad news for the owners. The worst for them was yet to come. On October 24th, 1861, the first telegraph line to California was finished. This linked them to the re st of the country. People could send messages in an instant. Two days later the Pony Express closed. But the lore of the brave riders lives o n even today.
A. Complete the following sentences using the appropriate words highlighted in the text. Two of them are not necessary.[5*1=5]
a. While you are in Pokhara, take a ............ to Dhampus.
b. Running away was less ............ than participating in revolution, but it was still a risk.
c. Don't worry. You will find the hotel easily. It is well off the ............ .
d. At the end of the class, the teacher ............ out of the class.
e. You can see inside the box. There is a small ........ containing five marbles.
B.Read the text again and write:
TRUE if the statements agree with the information given in the text.
FALSE if the statements contradict the information given in the text.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information in the text. [5*1=5]
a. There was a train line between California and Missouri in 1848.
b. The Pony express was the only fastest means of transportation in the USA in 1860.
c. The Pony express stations were exactly at a distance of ten miles.
d. Pony express carrying young boys could travel 200 miles in a day in an emergency.
e. The Civil War began in April 1861.
C. Answer the following questions. [5 *1= 5]
a. When was gold found in California?
b. How would people living between California and Missouri get newspapers to their family in 1860?
c. Who does the word 'they' in the second line of the sixth paragraph refer to?
d. Why does the author refer to Native Americans in the text?
e. What can you conclude from the last paragraph?
