Excerpt from
"Poetry of Architecture"
The Science of
Architecture is one of the noblest creations of human minds. It is not merely a science of the rule and compass that
requires you to follow the letter of the law. It is, or ought to be, a science of feeling,
a ministry to the mind more than to the eye.
The beauty and
majesty of a building does not depend on how it looks at first glance. It goes deeper, stirring certain emotions and
trains of thought.
This shows you
how many difficult questions of feeling are involved in the designing of the
structure. It should convince you of this
truth—which at first seems startling—that no man can be an architect who is not
also a philosopher.
It would
be quite fitting if this noble science was designated as the Poetry of
Architecture…
Reading
Comprehension Questions
1) Which of the following phrases best represents the main
idea of the passage?
a.
Architecture is a science of the rule and compass.
b.
The main beauty of a building is what you see at first
glance.
c.
Architecture is as much about emotion as it is about science.
d.
You must be an architect in order to be a good philosopher
2) Aside from having the technical skills, the author of the
above passage feels that a good architect should also be which of the
following?
a.
a pessimist
b.
a dreamer
c.
a mathematician
d.
an author
3) The 1st paragraph of the above passage says that
architecture “is not merely a science of
the rule and compass...”
What does the “science of rule and compass” mean in
this context?
a.
a technical skill
b.
a broad philosophy
c.
a tedious task
d.
a casual pastime
4) In the above passage, the author would agree with which of
the following statements?
a.
“In the future, buildings
will be designed by advanced robots.”
b.
“You should be able to
judge a building by its popularity.”
c.
“Being a great architect requires
more than technical expertise.”
d.
“A great architect does not
need to rely on math and science.”
5) The author of the above passage has most likely done which
of the following as an occupation?
a.
written poems
b.
designed buildings
c.
carved statues
d.
recited philosophy
6) The above passage would most likely appear in a book with
which title?
a.
Classic Poems about
Architecture
b.
The Emotional Side of
Architects
c.
A Brief History of
Architecture
d.
Basic Mathematical Skills
of an Architect
Answer Key
1)
Which of the
following phrases best represents the main idea of the passage?
a.
Architecture is a science of the rule and
compass.
b.
The main beauty of a building is what you see
at first glance.
c.
Architecture is as
much about emotion as it is about science.
d.
You must be an architect in order to be a good
philosopher
2)
Aside from
having the technical skills, the author of the above passage feels that a good
architect should also be which of the following?
a.
a pessimist
b.
a dreamer
c.
a mathematician
d.
an author
3)
The 1st
paragraph of the above passage says that architecture “is not merely a science of the rule and compass...”
What does the
“science of rule and compass” mean in
this context?
a.
a technical skill
b.
a broad philosophy
c.
a tedious task
d.
a casual pastime
4)
In the above
passage, the author would agree with which of the following statements?
a.
“In the
future, buildings will be designed by advanced robots.”
b.
“You should
be able to judge a building by its popularity."
c.
“Being a great architect requires more than
technical expertise.”
d.
“A great
architect does not need to rely on math and science.”
5)
The author of
the above passage has most likely done which of the following as an occupation?
a.
written poems
b.
designed
buildings
c.
carved statues
d.
recited philosophy
6)
The above passage
would most likely appear in a book with which title?
a.
Classic Poems
about Architecture
b.
The Emotional Side of Architects
c.
A Brief
History of Architecture
d.
Basic Mathematical
Skills of an Architect