Section B
Passage 1
Mount Rushmore is a national monument located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Carved into the side of the large mountain are the faces of four men who were the Presidents of United States. These men were chosen because all four played important roles in American history. The four faces carved onto Mount Rushmore are those of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Each face carved into the mountain is about 60 feet tall.
George Washington was chosen for this monument because of his role in the Revolutionary War and his fight for American independence. He was the first President of United States and is often called Father of the country. Thomas Jefferson was picked because he believed that people should be allowed to govern themselves, which is the basis for American democracy. Abraham Lincoln was added because he believed that all people are equal, and he helped end slavery in the United States. Theodore Roosevelt was chosen because he was such an influential President and world leader.
The man who carved Mount Rushmore was named Gutzon Borglum, and he worked on the monument until his death in 1941. After Gutzon Borglum died, his son Lincoln Borglum took his place and went on with the work on the mountain. Fourteen years were spent creating the faces on Mount Rushmore. Dynamite was used to blast the tough and giant rock off the mountain to make a smooth surface for the faces. George Washington was carved first, and his face began as an egg-shaped piece of rock. Thomas Jefferson was added to the right of George Washington, but his face cracked and had to he blasted off the mountain. Jefferson was then re-carved to the left of George Washington. Lincoln and then Roosevelt were added to the mountain. Snow and a dearth of money slowed down the process of the work, and all work on the monument had to come to an end when there was no money left to continue. |
What is the main idea of this passage
A．What Mount Rushmore looks like and how it was created.
B．How Gutzon Borglum raised money to create Mount Rushmore.
C．How presidents helped build Mount Rushmore.
D．Why Mount Rushmore was never finished.