Vaulting
played a great part—perhaps the greatest, though certainly
not the only part in developing Gothic architecture; but it will not do to
define it as simply the expression of scientific vaulting. The Romans
were masters of the art of vaulting long before; they used—probably
invented—the cross-vault, and understood the concentration of thrusts on
isolated points. It was from them, and from the Eastern Rome as well, that
the Romanesque builders learned how to make their stone roofs, and they in
their turn passed the art on to their Gothic successors, who improved and
developed it in their own way, making in the end almost a new art of it. But
it must be remembered that most of the problems of scientific vaulting had
presented themselves before their time, and had been partially at all events solved
by their predecessors, though not so completely.
Nor is it
correct to regard vaulting as an essential feature of the style, however
great its influence may have been on the structure of great churches. In England except on a grand scale it is
exceptional; and yet if Westminster Hall with its stupendous timber covering,
and the Fen churches with their glorious wooden roofs, and the splendid
ceiling of the nave at St David’s are not Gothic what are they? And what else
can we call the countless village churches, gems of modest art,
that stud our country far and wide, and constitute one of its greatest
charms, though it is only here and there that they aspire to the dignity of a
vaulted ceiling?
Again if
the test of Gothic is to be the logical expression of a vaulted construction
what becomes of domestic architecture both here and abroad, in which vaulting
certainly does not play an important part? Are the townhalls
of Brussels, Ypres, and Louvain not Gothic, nor the Broletto of Como, the pontifical palace at Viterbo, or that of the popes at Avignon, or the ducal palace at Venice?
Still less
is Gothic architecture, as it has appeared to the ordinary layman, a matter
of quatrefoils and trefoils, of cusps and traceries, of crockets and finials,
pinnacles and flying buttresses. These are but the accidents of the style,
though no doubt they resulted naturally from the application of certain
principles behind them. But they might all fly away and yet leave a Gothic
building behind them. Many an old tithe barn of rough timber framework is as
truly a piece of Gothic architecture as York Minster or Salisbury Cathedral.
If then
none of these attempted definitions are really coextensive with the Gothic
style of architecture, for a building may be Gothic and yet have none of
these characteristics, how are we to define it?
The true
way of looking at Gothic art is to regard it not as a definite style bound by
certain formulas—for it is infinitely various—but rather as the expression of
a certain temper, sentiment, and spirit which inspired the whole method of
doing things during the Middle Ages in sculpture and painting as well as in
architecture. It cannot be defined by any of its outward features, for they
are variable, differing at times and in different places. They are the
outward expression of certain cardinal principles behind them, and though
these principles are common to all good styles—Gothic among them—the result
of applying them to the buildings of each age, country, and people will vary
as the circumstances of that country, that age, and
that people vary.
From Sir Thomas Graham
Jackson, Gothic Architecture in France, England & Italy.
31.
Which statement is
most accurate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
32.
The author
believes that
A.
is an essential feature of Gothic architecture.
B.
C.
D.
33.
Gothic art
I. is to be regarded as
a definite style bound by certain formulas.
II. is the expression of a certain temper,
sentiment, and spirit which inspired sculpture and painting.
III. cannot be defined by any of its
outward features since they are variable.
A.
B.
C.
D.
34.
The
writer believes that Gothic art
A.
a thing of the past.
B.
be applied to buildings of each age and country
exactly as in the past.
C.
be applied with some variation to buildings of
each age and country.
D.
not follow the principles common to all good
styles.
35.
The
central purpose of the article is to
A.
Gothic architecture.
B.
the characteristics of Gothic architecture.
C.
"the true way of looking at
Gothic."
D.
Gothic architecture.
36.
"Vaulting"
in this article refers to
A.
way of leaping high, as in
popularity.
B.
way of styling similar to that
of vaults, or places where bodies are interred.
C.
way of producing high ceilings
without visible support.
D.
way of drawing and producing
plans on paper.
37.
A
"pontifical place" may be best
interpreted as
A.
place of happiness and
merriment.
B.
place of rest and
relaxation.
C.
place which seems
friendly.
D.
place which seems
dignified.
38.
Quatrefoils, according to the article,
are
A.
accidents of style.
B.
results of applications
of principles.
C.
to Gothic buildings.
D.
of the natural application of certain
principles.
39.
The author regards
Gothic art as
A.
definite
style bound by certain formulas.
B.
styles which are similar in all
expressions.
C.
expression
of infinitely various temper, sentiment,
and spirit.
D.
by outward features.
40.
The author says
Gothic art is NOT
A.
whole
method of doing things during the
Middle Ages.
B.
influence
on architecture, painting, and
sculpture.
C.
by its features.
D.
outward
expression of certain cardinal
principles.
ANSWER KEY
31.
Which statement is
most accurate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
Since the
Romanesque builders had partially
solved many of the problems of
scientific vaulting before their Gothic
successors, (C) is the best answer.
Since the Romanesque builders were
predecessors to the Gothic forms (not
the other way around), (A) is false.
The Romanesque builders were
predecessors (not successors) to the
Gothic builders; therefore, (B) should
not be chosen. Vaulting played a great
part in Gothic architecture; (D) is
false.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
32.
The author
believes that
A.
is an essential feature of
Gothic architecture.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
Gothic
architecture might still exist even
without quatrefoils, trefoils, cusps,
traceries, pinnacles, flying
buttresses, crockets, and finials;
therefore, (C) is the best answer.
Since vaulting is not essential to
Gothic architecture, (A) is false. Gothic
architecture had an influence in
churches even if only here and there
the village churches "…aspire to
the dignity of a vaulted ceiling."
(B) should not
be chosen. Gothic architecture cannot
be described as a definite style with
certain formulas; (D) is incorrect.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
33.
Gothic art
I. is to be regarded as a
definite style bound by certain
formulas.
II. is the
expression of a certain temper,
sentiment, and spirit which inspired
sculpture and painting.
III. cannot be
defined by any of its outward features
since they are variable.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
(C) is the best
answer since it includes both II
(Gothic art is the expression of a
certain temper, sentiment, and spirit
which inspired sculpture and painting)
and III (Gothic art cannot be defined
by any of its outward features since
they are variable). Both II and III are
correct, but I, which
states that Gothic art is bound by
certain formulas, is not true. Since
(A), (B), and (D) all include I, only (C) is
correct.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
34.
The writer
believes that Gothic art
A.
a thing of
the past.
B.
be applied to buildings of
each age and country exactly as in the
past.
C.
be applied with some
variation to buildings of each age and
country.
D.
not follow the principles
common to all good styles.
Explanation:
The best answer is
(C); it states that the writer believes
Gothic art will be applied with some
variation to buildings of each age and
country. (A), which states that Gothic
art is a thing of the past, is false.
Choice (B) states that Gothic art will
be applied to buildings of each age and
country exactly as in the past; (B) is
inaccurate due to the inclusion of the
words "exactly as in the
past." Gothic art follows the
principles common to all good styles;
(D) states that Gothic art does not
follow the principles common to all
good styles. Since (D) is refuted by
the last sentence of the passage, it is
incorrect as an answer.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
35.
The central
purpose of the article is to
A.
Gothic architecture.
B.
the characteristics of Gothic
architecture.
C.
"the true way of looking
at Gothic."
D.
Gothic architecture.
Explanation:
The best choice is
(A); it states that the central purpose
of the article is to define Gothic
architecture, which is an accurate
statement. Since the characteristics of
Gothic architecture vary so much, (B)
should not be chosen since a
comprehensive analysis of the article
does not give characteristics of Gothic
architecture. (C) is incorrect since
there is no true way of viewing Gothic
architecture. (D) is inaccurate since
the writer seems to value Gothic
architecture and this answer suggests
the opposite.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
36.
"Vaulting"
in this article refers to
A.
way of
leaping high, as in popularity.
B.
way of
styling similar to that of vaults, or
places where bodies are interred.
C.
way of
producing high ceilings without visible
support.
D.
way of
drawing and producing plans on paper.
Explanation:
Since vaulting is
a way of producing high ceilings
without visible support, (C) is the
correct answer by inference from the
reading passage. (A) is incorrect since
no mention of leaping is made in the
passage. (B) is also incorrect since
vaulting is part of a style
rather than a style. (D) is incorrect
since neither drawing nor producing
plans on paper is mentioned or alluded
to in the reading passage.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
37.
A "pontifical
place" may be best interpreted as
A.
place of
happiness and merriment.
B.
place of
rest and relaxation.
C.
place
which seems friendly.
D.
place
which seems dignified.
Explanation:
(D) is the best answer
since "pontifical" is used to
describe palaces in this reading
passage; "pontifical" means
dignified. Such a place is not
necessarily a happy, merry place; (A)
should not be chosen. A
"pontifical palace" is not
necessarily a place of rest and
relaxation; (B) should not be selected.
(C) should not
be chosen since it suggests that a
"pontifical palace"
necessarily involves a place which is friendly.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
38.
Quatrefoils,
according to the article, are
A.
accidents of style.
B.
results of applications of
principles.
C.
to Gothic buildings.
D.
of the natural application of
certain principles.
Explanation:
Quatrefoils are
the result of the natural application
of certain principles; (D) is the best
answer. By referring to the passage, it
can be ascertained that (A), (B), and
(C) are all opposites of what the
author writes; therefore, all are
incorrect.
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
39.
The author regards
Gothic art as
A.
definite
style bound by certain formulas.
B.
styles which are similar in
all expressions.
C.
expression of infinitely
various temper, sentiment, and spirit.
D.
by outward features.
Explanation:
Gothic art is the
expression of infinitely various temper, sentiment,
and spirit; (C) is the best choice. It
is perhaps easier to define, first of
all, what Gothic architecture is not.
It is not bound by formulas (A); it is
not characterized by similar styles
(B); and it is not defined by outward
features (D).
Section:
ACT Reading Test II
Subsection:
Arts/Literature
40.
The author says
Gothic art is NOT
A.
whole
method of doing things during the
Middle Ages.
B.
influence
on architecture, painting, and
sculpture.
C.
by its features.
D.
outward
expression of certain cardinal principles.
Explanation:
Choice (C)—Gothic
art is not defined by its features—is
not mentioned in the passage. Since the
reader is searching for a statement
which is not true, (C) should be
selected. In perusing the passage,
statements (A), (B), and (D) will be
found; the author says that Gothic art
is a whole method of doing things
during the Middle Ages (A), an
influence on architecture, painting,
and sculpture (B), and an outward
expression of certain cardinal
principles (D). None of these answers
should be chosen.
