Putting out fires 滅火救場
Firefighters attempt to control a blaze. Photo: Jeff Overs / BBC
今日小常識
London had no organised fire service until the Great Fire of London in 1666, which destroyed most of the city. It spread easily because it happened during a long, hot and dry summer, and because most houses were built of wood. After this event the first fire services were set up, and more houses were built of brick.
1666年倫敦大火幾乎燒盡了整個城市，在此之前倫敦沒有任何有組織的消防部門。當時倫敦正時夏季，天氣干燥炎熱，這也是導致大火迅速蔓延的主要原因。另外一個原因是由于當時倫敦大多數房屋都是木制的。消防部門在倫敦大火之后建立起來，更多房屋也改由磚塊蓋造。
今日短語
短語 putting out fires 通常指在工作環境中解決很多小的問題，問題雖小，但很棘手，需要在惡化前快速解決。
例句
Sorry I didn't have time to meet you for lunch today. I was busy at work all day putting out fires.
Sometimes it feels like you get nothing done in the office – you need to spend the whole day putting out fires.
請注意
短語 to get on like a house on fire 字面意思是“相處就像房子著火”,實際用來形容兩個人一拍即和、一見如故，關系處得很好。
Phoebe and Alice get on like a house on fire. They share exactly the same sense of humour and are always joking and laughing together.
