Read this excerpt from The Great Fire. Which central idea does this excerpt support?
Many mistakes contributed to the spread of the fire and prevented it from being put out.
The fire spread because the firefighters were not equipped to handle such a massive blaze.
Many residents aided the firefighters by carrying furniture and helping their neighbors escape.
Residents were used to fires and did not think that this one was different from any others.

Residents were used to fires and did not think that this one was different from any others.

Explanation:

The Great Fire, written by Jim Murphy, is a story about the fire that destroyed the city of Chicago in 1871. Apart from the historical facts about the event, this story describes how it impacted people's lives, and how they managed to restore the city.

In this excerpt, it is stated that fires frequently occurred in Chicago back then. People were used to this situation, and were not aware of the extent of this disaster.

b is the answer.   i sat on the lumpy sofa, totally exhausted, with a bad taste in my mouth, wondering what i should do next.