History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Answers

The IELTS Reading passage, “History of Fire Fighting and Prevention”, is a frequently featured topic in the IELTS Academic exam. Excelling in the IELTS Reading Module requires both strategy and consistent practice. By working through passages like this one, you’ll sharpen your ability to tackle various question types effectively. Review the sample questions and answers below to assess your preparation level and explore more with our comprehensive IELTS reading practice tests.

Question types in this passage include:

• Matching Headings (Q.1 – Q.5)
• True/False/Not Given (Q.6 – Q.10)
• Sentence Completion (Q.11 – Q.13)

History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Passage

• More than 2000 years ago, a Roman emperor named Augustus organised a group of watchmen whose job was mainly to look out for fires and sound an alarm in the event of one. For many centuries that followed, fire fighting was done using buckets of water that got passed from person to person. The axe was then found to be a useful tool both for removing fuel in large fires and for opening holes to allow smoke and flames to get away from burning buildings. Watchmen created fire breakers with long rods hooked with ropes to pull structures down that provided fuel for a flame. To reduce the risk of flame in thatched-roof houses, King William the Conqueror in 1066 made a ruling: people had to put out their cooking flames at night. His term couvre-feu, which means “cover flame,” is the origin of the modern-day term curfew, which no longer carries a literal translation. 
• The event that had the largest influence in the history of fire fighting was in 1666 called the Great flame of London. The devastating incident occurred at the King’s Bakery near the London Bridge. At the beginning, Lord Mayor Bludworth showed little concern for the flame, thinking it would extinguish itself. Later he organised a group of men to put out the fire. In 1666. the summer was exceptionally hot and dry, and the houses made of straws and wood caught flame quickly. Within a short span of  time, the wind had carried the flame across the city, burning down over three hundred houses in its path. Although the procedure of pulling down buildings to prevent a flame from spreading was standard in Britain, the mayor became worried over the expenses it would incur to rebuild the city and ordered that the surrounding structures be left undamaged. By the time the king ordered the destruction of buildings in the flame’s path, the flame was out of control. The Duke of York ordered the Paper House to be destroyed in order to create a crucial flame break and the London flame finally began to lose its fuel.
• Extreme measures were taken in London to create a system of organised flame prevention when it became clear that four-fifths of the city had been destroyed by the flame. Most of London was reconstructed using stone and brick and materials that were far less flammable than wood and straw by architect Christopher Wren. Those who could afford to build new homes and businesses began to seek insurance for their properties because of the long history of fires in London. Companies soon realised the monetary benefits of hiring men to extinguish flames as insurance became a profitable business. In the initial years of insurance companies, the insurance company marked all insured properties with its name or logo. If a fire broke out and a building did not have an insurance mark, the fire brigades were called away and the building was left to burn. 
• The British insurance companies were largely responsible for occupying people to create new technologies for firefighting. The first flame engines were simple containers on wheels that were pulled towards the location of the flame, with water being supplied by a bucket brigade. A hand pump was created to push the water out of the container through a hose with a nozzle. The pump was used to allow a steady stream of water to shoot through the hose directly at the source of fire. Before long, companies began to make use of water pipes made from hollowed tree trunks that were built under the roads. By digging down into the road, firefighters could make a hole into the tree-trunk pipe and connect it to the water to feed into the pump. 
• As companies fought to be the first to arrive at a scene to access the water pipes, fire fighting became a very competitive business. Firefighting companies were forced to reconsider their intentions, after a series of fires destroyed some areas of London. By the 18th century, firefighters began to join forces, and in 1833 the Sun Insurance Company along with ten other London companies established the London Fire Engine Establishment. In 1865, the government involved and brought new standards to both prevent and fight fire by establishing London’s Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The firemen were paid good salary, but they had to be on duty constantly and thus calledl their fire station home for both themselves and their families. 
• Both Europe and the New World continued to create new firefighting technology. In the Netherlands, leather hoses with couplings that connected the lengths were hand-sewn and utilised until the late 1800s, when rubber hoses became available. In 1829, steam engine fire vehicles were available in the United Kingdom and America, but most fire departments were reticent to deploy them until the 1850s. The public was ultimately responsible for forcing the fire departments to employ more efficient equipment. When the internal-combustion engine was invented in the early 1900s, trucks became motorised. This was an important development in firefighting history, as World War I imposed additional strain on fire departments around the world.

History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Questions

Questions 14—20

Questions 21-23

21 The first fire engine

A carried water to the site of the fire.

B used hand pumps.

C had very long hoses.

22 In 1865,

A London was destroyed by a series of fires.

B fire brigades began to join forces.

C the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was established.

23 Firemen who worked for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade

A earned low salaries.

B lived at the fire station.

C were not allowed to marry.

Questions 24-26

24 Leather hoses for fire fighting were made by machine.

25 Steam engine fire trucks were used until the early 1900s.

26 Fires caused a great deal of damage in London during World War I.

History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Answers with Explanations

Check out the answer key for this IELTS Academic Reading passage, History of Fire Fighting, with detailed explanations and location and improve your reading skills for a better IELTS band score.

14 Answer: Fuel

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 1, lines 6-7

Answer explanation: “Watchmen also learned to create firebreaks with long hooked poles and ropes in order to pull down structures that provided fuel for a fire.” This suggests that the poles and ropes were pulled down to cut off the fuel from the fire.

15 Answer: Put out

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 1, lines 7-9

Answer explanation: “In 1066, in order to reduce the risk of fire in thatched-roof houses, King William the Conqueror made a ruling: Citizens had to extinguish their cooking fires at night.” This suggests that the fire was put out in order to prevent the thatched roof from catching the fire.

16 Answer: Hot and Dry

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 2, lines 1-5

Answer explanation: “The event that had the largest influence in the history of fire fighting was the Great Fire of London in 1666. The devastating blaze originated at the King’s Bakery near the London Bridge. At the onset, Lord Mayor Bludworth showed little concern for the fire, assuming it would extinguish itself before he could organize a group of men to attend to it. However, the summer of 1666 had been uncharacteristically hot and dry, and the wooden houses nearby caught fire quickly.” This suggests that in the hot and dry weather in 1666, the Great Fire of London took place.

17 Answer: Notes Completion

Question type: Rebuild the city

Answer location: Paragraph 2, lines 7-9

Answer explanation: “Although the procedure of pulling down buildings to prevent a fire from spreading was standard in Britain, the mayor grew concerned over the cost it would involve to rebuild the city and ordered that the surrounding structures be left intact.” This suggests that in order to prevent the huge splurge of money on the reconstruction of buildings, the king allowed the buildings to catch fires without pulling them.

18 Answer: Stone and Brick

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, lines 2-5

Answer explanation: “At the hands of architects such as Christopher Wren, most of London was rebuilt using stone and brick, materials that were far less flammable than wood and straw.” This suggests that the buildings were made up of stones and bricks after the Great Fire of London.

19 Answer: Fires

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, lines 4-6

Answer explanation: “Because of the long history of fires in London, those who could afford to build new homes and businesses began to seek insurance for their properties.” This suggests that people started buying insurance for their properties due to excessive episodes of fires.

20 Answer: Extinguish fires

Question type: Notes Completion

Answer location: Paragraph 3, lines 6-7

Answer explanation: “As insurance became a profitable business, companies soon realized the monetary benefits of hiring men to extinguish fires.” This implies that in order to prevent the renovation of the destroyed houses due to fire, the insurance company started hiring people.

21 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 4, lines 2-3

Answer explanation: “The first fire engines were simple tubs on wheels that were pulled to the location of the fire, with water being supplied by a bucket brigade.” This suggests that the first fire engines carried water to the site of the fire.

22 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 5, lines 5-7

Answer explanation: “ In 1865, the government became involved, bringing standards to both fire prevention and fire fighting and establishing London’s Metropolitan Fire Brigade.” This suggests that the Metropolitan Fire Brigade was established in 1865.

23 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 5, last lines

Answer explanation: “Though the firemen were well paid, they were constantly on duty and thus obliged to call their fire station home for both themselves and their families.” This implies that the firemen involved in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade were living at the fire station.

24 Answer: No

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 5, lines 2-3

Answer explanation: “Leather hoses with couplings that joined the lengths together were hand-sewn in the Netherlands and used until the late 1800s when rubber hoses became available.” Hence, the hoses were not made by machines but rather were hand-sewn.

25 Answer: Yes

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph 5, lines 4-7

Answer explanation: “The technology for steam engine fire trucks was available in Britain and America in 1829, but most brigades were hesitant to use them until the 1850s. It was the public that eventually forced the brigades into putting the more efficient equipment to use. In the early 1900s, when the internal-combustion engine was developed, the trucks became motorized.” This implies that the steam engines and fire trucks were used from 1850 to the early 1900s.

26 Answer: Not given

Question type: Yes/No/Not Given

Answer location: N/A

Answer explanation: No such reference regarding World War Ⅰ has been given in the passage.

Tips to Answer History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Answers  

Here are some tips to answer History of Fire Fighting and Prevention IELTS Reading Answers:

IELTS Reading Flowchart Completion (Q.14–20)

IELTS Reading Flowchart Completion tests your ability to follow a sequence or process. Use contextual clues to fill in the blanks accurately while keeping an eye on word limits.

• Scan for keywords and order
  Flowcharts follow a logical sequence. Skim the passage for dates, stages, or processes that match the flowchart's structure.
• Use grammar clues
  The blank may require a noun, verb, or adjective. Check the word before and after the blank to determine the correct form.
• Watch for paraphrasing
  The exact words from the flowchart might be paraphrased in the passage. Look for synonyms and related phrases.
• Predict before searching
  Try to guess the type of word (e.g., material, step, person) before looking in the passage to narrow your search.
• Observe word limits
  Pay attention to instructions like "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER." Exceeding the limit will cost you marks.

IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions (Q.21–23)

IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions check your ability to identify specific information or main ideas. Careful reading and smart elimination can help you select the correct option.

• Read the question stem first
  Understand what is being asked before looking at the answer options to avoid confusion.
• Eliminate clearly wrong options
  Rule out options that are unrelated or contradict the passage to increase your chances of choosing the right one.
• Find evidence in the text
  Don’t rely on memory or general knowledge. Each correct answer is directly supported by the passage.
• Beware of distractors
  Some options may contain words from the passage but change the meaning subtly. Focus on the overall idea, not just keywords.
• Check all options before selecting
  Even if one seems correct, scan the others to ensure it’s the best match based on the passage content.

IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given (Q.24–26)

IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given questions assess your understanding of the writer’s opinions. Look closely at the passage to decide if the statement agrees, disagrees, or isn't mentioned:

• Understand the difference
  • Yes = Statement agrees with the view in the text
  • No = Statement contradicts the text
  • Not Given = No information about the statement in the text
• Match ideas, not just words
  Don’t be misled by matching words. Make sure the idea or claim in the statement aligns with the text.
• Focus on the writer’s opinion
  These questions test views or attitudes, so look for opinion markers like “believes,” “argues,” or “claims.”
• Don’t assume
  If something seems true based on your knowledge but isn’t stated in the text, the answer is Not Given.
• Read carefully for subtle differences
  A small change in wording (e.g., “all” vs. “some”) can turn a Yes into a No — read precisely.

Mastering passages like “History of Fire Fighting and Prevention” can significantly boost your Reading IELTS band score. Regular practice with real exam-style questions not only improves speed and accuracy but also builds your confidence. Keep exploring different IELTS Reading passages and refine your techniques to ensure success on test day.

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