This is an example of irony.
It's not parody since the action isn't being dramaticized or made ridiculous, nor is it foreshadowing since there's it's not really suggesting that this later incident will happen. It's also not a metaphor since it's not different things being compared or likened to one another.
One of the reasons the US was in favor of becoming involved in the Boxer Rebellion was the due to the siege of the American Consulate in Beijing. The US was also part of the Eight-Nation Alliance. Hope this helps!
Answer:
I would say C. They allowed businesses access to markets farther away.
Explanation:
Railroads were often used for long distances, as if you lived close by you could just use wagon or horseback. Answer choices A and B uses "nearby" and "local", which was usually not true of railroads. Answer choice D could be an answer but I'm not too sure.