8 . A huge fire broke out (爆发) on 2 September 1666 in London. The fire, known as the Great Fire of London, was the worst fire in the history of London. It burned down (烧毁) more than three quarters of the old city.
The fire started in the very early hours of Sunday morning in the house of the king’s baker. A strong wind blew the fire from the baker’s house into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
At that time, most of the buildings in London were made of wood, so it was easy for the fire to spread quickly. By eight o’clock, three hundred houses were on fire. By Monday, nearly a kilometre of the city was burning along the Thames River. On Tuesday, which was considered the worst day, the fire destroyed many well-known buildings, including the old St Paul’s Cathedral.
The fire burned until finally hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire were destroyed to create a firebreak. The fire then died out eventually with nothing left to burn.
1. Why is the fire of 1666 called the Great Fire of London?
| A．The fire broke out in the capital of England. |
| B．People in England will never forget the fire. |
| C．The fire was the worst fire in the history of London. |
| D．The fire spread fast into Thames Street. |
2. Where did the fire break out?
| A．In Thames Street. | B．In the house of the king’s baker. |
| C．In the house of the baker’s neighbour. | D．In St Paul’s Cathedral. |
3. Why did the fire spread quickly?
| A．Most of the buildings in London were wooden. |
| B．It broke out on a Sunday morning. |
| C．A hotel was next to the baker’s house. |
| D．It started in a baker’s house. |
4. What is the meaning of the underlined word?
| A．a bell or other device that gives people warning of a fire in a building |
| B．a bright ball of fire, especially one at the centre of an explosion |
| C．a special vehicle that carries equipment for fighting large fires. |
| D．a thing that stops a fire from spreading, for example a strip of land that has been cleared . |
