ReadingExplorerFoundations:Unit9LessonB

DIRECTIONS:Choosethebestanswerforeachquestion.

TheGreatDomeofFlorence

[A]In1419,aclockmakernamedFilippoBrunelleschistartedworkonaverydifficultproject.HewasbuildingthedomeofFlorencesmaincathedral,1theBasilicadiSantaMariadelFiore.For1,500years,theworldslargestdomebelongedtothePantheoninRome.Brunelleschisjobwastobuildoneevenlarger.

[B]Thebuildingofthecathedralbeganin1296.By1359,muchofitwascomplete,butnooneknewhowtobuilditsdome.Manybuilderscouldbuildconcrete2domes.However,thedomeinFlorenceneededtobewiderthananydomeeverbuilt.Aconcretedomewouldbetooheavyandwouldeasilyfall.Thecathedral,therefore,remainedunfinishedformanyyears.

[C]FilippoBrunelleschipromisedtofindasolution.Hesaidhewouldbuildtwodomes,aninnerdomemadeofstoneandanouteronemadeoflightbricks.3Hewoulduselightermaterialsasheworkedupwards.Strongringsmadeofstone,wood,andironwouldholdeverythingtogether.

[D]Brunelleschialsohadtofindawaytoliftthematerialshighintotheair.Whatdidhedo?Heinventedanewmachinetodothejob.

[E]Buildingthedometook16years.Brunelleschihaddonesomethingnooneelsecould.However,heleftnopicturesofhisdesign.So-eventoday-expertsdontfullyunderstandhowthisincrediblestructurewasbuilt.

1Acathedralisakindofchurchbuilding,usuallyquitebigandbeautiful.

2Concreteisahardmaterial,similartostone.

3Bricksaresmallpiecesofhardmaterialusedforbuilding.

____ 1. Whatcouldanothertitleforthispassagebe?

a.

FamousDomesinItaly

b.

BuildingPracticesinthe1400s

c.

BrunelleschisWorkofaLifetime

d.

ADayintheLifeofaDomeBuilder

____ 2. WhatisparagraphBmainlyabout?

a.

whythecathedralremainedunfinishedformanyyears

b.

howthecathedralwasusedfor100years

c.

whythedomeneededtobesowide