Question

read this excerpt from the great fire.

despite this, chief marshal williams had managed to get a thin circle of engines around the fire. he had five steamers at the scene now, plus three hose carts and a hook-and-ladder wagon, all of them pumping water into the fire at various locations. spectators were asked to help and many responded by chopping up fences and sidewalks, hoping to deprive the fire of fuel.

what caused firefighters to ask spectators to help?

• firefighters wanted to go home to check on their own families.
• there were not enough firefighters to do all of the necessary tasks.
• firefighters wanted more people to control the engines and steamers.
• there were too many people standing around and watching the fire.

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt for context clues

The text states that Chief Marshal Williams had "a thin circle of engines around the fire" consisting of five steamers, three hose carts, and a hook-and-ladder wagon, all pumping water. It then notes that "Spectators were asked to help and many responded by chopping up fences and sidewalks, hoping to deprive the fire of fuel."

Evaluate the cause of asking spectators for help

The firefighters and their equipment were fully occupied pumping water at various locations. To perform other necessary tasks, such as creating a firebreak by chopping up fences and sidewalks to deprive the fire of fuel, they did not have enough personnel. Therefore, they needed spectators to assist with these additional tasks.

Match with the correct multiple-choice option

The option "There were not enough firefighters to do all of the necessary tasks" directly explains why spectators were asked to help with tasks like chopping fences and sidewalks while the firefighters focused on operating the engines and pumping water.

Answer:

• Firefighters wanted to go home to check on their own families.
• There were not enough firefighters to do all of the necessary tasks. (Correct answer)
• Firefighters wanted more people to control the engines and steamers.
• There were too many people standing around and watching the fire.