Academic Reading 15
THE DISCOVERY of FIRE
The ancient Greeks considered fire so great a discover that they believed it was a gift of one of the Titans, Prometheus, to humans. According to a Greek myth, Prometheus was penalised by the gods for giving the secret of fire to men. This myth, along with many other stories and customs, shows how much importance ancient people attached to their control of fire. The discovery of fire was essential to the spread of civilisation. For instance, through the use of fire, people were able to move into colder climates that were previously too inhospitable for them. This accelerated the spread of early humans across the world. People who could control fire were able to shelter themselves better by living in caves for the first time in human history. The use of fire might also have affected human physical development. With cooked food, large teeth were unnecessary, and teeth gradually evolved to the smaller ones that characterise modem humans. Fire also made metalworking possible, helping mankind to progress to the Bronze and Iron ages.
1- According to the ancient Greek legend described in the passage, Prometheus ………….. .
A) showed humans how to work the metals iron and bronze
B) was made to suffer for letting humans know how to make fire
C) was forced by the gods to live in a totally inhospitable climate
D) was the first ever human to build a fire
E) gave fire to one of the Titans as a gift
2- The main focus of the passage is ……….. .
A) the development of houses through the ages
B) the Greek mythological figure of Prometheus
C) how fire played a central role in the progress of civilisation
D) the origins of metalworking in iron and bronze
E) the change in human teeth in the course of evolution
3- One physical change fire may have been responsible for in humans, which is specifically mentioned in the passage, occurred through ……… .
A) eating cooked food
B) living in colder climates
C) spreading across the world
D) working hard with metals
E) living under shelter in caves
1. B
2. C
3. A