4. Fill in the gaps with suitable words from the box.

a)

Household Special Burning Long Loud Important High

In Mexico the Mayas and the Aztecs kept a fire burning on top of a (…) pyramid all the time. This fire, and all others in the country, was put out every 52 years. The fires were relit in an (…) ceremony. With the leaders of the country watching, the priests rubbed (…) dry sticks together. Sometimes it took a (…) time for them to make a spark. Finally, when the fire was started again, there was a (…) shout of triumph. A messenger rushed off with a (…) torch to relight the fire on the pyramid. People crowded about to light torches for their own (…) fires.

b)

Sacred Large Capital Certain Each Local

The Greeks, the Egyptians, and the Romans kept fires burning in their temples. In the Temple of Vesta in Rome the (…) fire was cared for by priestesses called the vestal virgins. If the fire went out, all business was stopped until it had been rekindled. In Greece the (…) fire was kept burning in a (…) building in (…) town. The fire was cared for by the (…) chief. In the (…) city, the king himself tended the fire.

5. Match the words in the left column with their explanations in the right column.

A fireguard	is a building where fire engines are kept, and where firemen wait until they are called to put out a fire.
A firebrick	is a metal cylinder which contains water or chemicals at high pressure for putting out fire
Fire	is a screen made of strong wire mesh that you put round a fire so that young children cannot accidentally burn themselves and prevent burning wood or coal falling out.
A fire station	is an occurrence of uncontrolled burning which destroys buildings, forests, crops, etc.
A fire-storm	is a type of brick which cannot be damaged by heat and which is used to line furnaces.

A firebreak	when it occurs in a place that is burning after being bombed, strong winds rush into it to take the place of the hot air that is rising, causing the blaze to burn uncontrollably.
A fire extinguisher	is an area of open land in a wood or forest, which is intended to stop a fire from spreading.

6. Open the brackets. Use the correct form of the verb to be

1. It (to be) hard for a fire man to know how a fire behaves, because so many things can affect it. The strength and direction of the wind (to be) important factors.

2. Smoke (to be) a mixture that comes from burning of any kind of material, such as coal, wood, or petroleum.

3. After the fire (to be out), the fire man still have much work to do.

4. The heat-reflective suits (to be) fire resistant and coated with aluminium to reflect heat.

5. Radio (to be) important to the modern fire depart­ment.

6. The smallest unit of fire department (to be) a company of about 6 to 16 men.