Question

13．On Oct.8，1871，much of Chicago became an inferno．The fire began in or near the O'Leary family's barn．No one knows for certain how it started，but it developed into a big fire that consumed miles of city，killed about three hundred people，and left about one hundred thousand homeless．Many conditions may have contributed to the Great Chicago Fire．
Dry weather was one possible factor．The summer and autumn had been unusually dry，and 20fires occurred the week before the Great Fire．Just the night before，the city's firefighters battled a severe fire，and many were exhausted．Besides firefighters'being very tired，the Chicago Fire Department was understaffed and inadequately equipped．
Also，most buildings were wooden，and many were crowded together．Even sidewalks were wooden，and rooftops were of shingles or tar---both flammable （易燃的） materials．Interspersed between residences were warehouses and business，some containing paint and other flammable merchandise．
Although a citizen had surely sounded an alarm，the central alarm office had no record of it．Possibly the alarm failed to work properly．To make things worse，a watchman scanning the skies for fire misjudged the location and sent an alarm that caused firefighters to rush to an incorrect site．Realizing his error，the watchman tried to send a second alarm，but the telegraph dispatcher refused to allow it，fearing that it would confuse the firefighters．These errors caused the fire to grow quickly out of control before firefighters reached the scene．
Lacking telephones，radio and TV in 1871，few people in Chicago realized the severity of the fire until they had to scramble to escape it．Some people rushed into Lake Michigan to escape the flames，while others fled to the prairie or elsewhere．Meanwhile，troops and civilians blew up buildings to create a firebreak，hoping that it would contain the fire or，at least，slow its progress．
Strong winds blew burning ashes onto buildings and across the Chicago River，causing the fire to spread still farther．The fire lighted the oil and boats floating on the water and caused the gasworks to explode．It burned the wooden roof of the waterworks，which collapsed and destroyed the city's water pumps．Unless firefighters could pump water from the river or lake，they were helpless to stop the blaze．Just when it appeared that nothing would stop the big fire that roared through the city，rain fell on Oct.10and contained the fire．
（Note：Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TEN WORDS．）
Dry weather，flammable materials，and（81）strong winds，human errorsmade the fire spread quickly．
The phrase"contain"in the passage most probably means"（82）stop； control； prevent"．
What made these firefighters so tired before they began to put out the fire？
（83）They battled/put out a fire just the night before．They went to a wrong place．
Why couldn't these firefighters get water to put out the fire？
（84）（Because） the city's water pumps were destroyed in the fire．．

Answer 1

分析 本文主要讲述芝加哥大火灾形成的起因．

解答 81  strong winds，human errors．
82   stop； control； prevent．
83  They battled/put out a fire just the night before．They went to a wrong place．
84   （Because） the city's water pumps were destroyed in the fire．
81 strong winds，human errors．细节题． 根据文章第三 段These errors caused the fire to grow quickly out of control before firefighters reached the scene．
和最后一段 Strong winds blew burning ashes onto buildings and across the Chicago River，可知强风和人类的错误导致了火灾的发生．
82 stop； control； prevent．猜测词义题．  根据文章第五 段that it would contain the fire or，at least，slow its progress．可知人们那样做的目的是控制或者减缓火灾．
83 They battled/put out a fire just the night before．They went to a wrong place．细节题． 根据文章第二 段Just the night before，the city's firefighters battled a severe fire，and many were exhausted 可知消防员累的原因是在头一天的晚上他们扑灭了一场大火．
84 （Because） the city's water pumps were destroyed in the fire．细节题． 根据文章最后一 段 It burned the wooden roof of the waterworks，which collapsed and destroyed the city's water pumps．可知消防员不能用水扑灭火的原因是城市的水泵被大火所破坏．

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