成人英语三级阅读理解(98)

Russian czar Nicholas the second laid the ceremonial first piece of track at the dedication in 1891. But the real backbreaking work was done by Russian peasants. Amazingly the trans continental railroad was almost entirely built by hand. It was built by men with shovels and with picks and with wheel barrels, which is what makes it an even more impressive feat. It's hard to imagine how difficult the working conditions must've been for the people who were doing the labor on the railroad. In the wintertime, wind chills of one hundred and twenty degrees below zero ripped through clothing. While mid summer temps often topped a sweltering one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. It is estimated that thousands died during the construction.

1891年，俄国沙皇尼古拉二世在开工仪式上放下了第一节轨道，但真正辛苦建造它的却是俄国的农民。令人惊奇的是，这条跨越大陆的铁路干线几乎全是手工建成的。它由人们用铁锹、鹤嘴锄和手推车建造，这就使得这条铁路更是一大壮举。很难想像，当时修建铁路的工人的劳动条件是何等的艰苦。在冬季，零下120华氏度的寒风刺骨；在盛夏，又经常出现100华氏度的高温，热得人喘不过气来。据估计，有成千上万的人在建路过程中死去。