For centuries, urban architecture was constrained by the load-bearing capacity of masonry walls, which required thicker bases to support taller structures. By introducing structural steel framing in the late nineteenth century, architects could distribute a building's weight to an internal skeleton rather than its exterior walls. This innovation allowed for unprecedented height and larger window openings, transforming city skylines. Consequently, the reliance on heavy stone foundations diminished, paving the way for the modern curtain-wall design that defines contemporary high-rises.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
- AIt summarizes the overall history of urban architecture from ancient masonry to modern curtain-wall high-rises.
- BIt provides specific measurements demonstrating how heavy stone foundations fail under tension.
- It describes a technological development that resolved the architectural limitation mentioned in the first sentence.Answer
- DIt suggests that late-nineteenth-century architects preferred steel frames primarily due to the scarcity of stone.
Answer
The correct option is the one stating that the underlined sentence describes a technological development that resolved the architectural limitation mentioned in the first sentence.
The first sentence of the passage states that urban architecture was constrained by the load-bearing capacity of masonry walls. The underlined sentence introduces structural steel framing as a technology that shifts weight to an internal skeleton, which directly resolves this load-bearing limitation. The rest of the passage then describes the results of this shift. Thus, the underlined sentence functions to describe a technological development that resolved the architectural limitation mentioned in the first sentence.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Analyzing the rhetorical function of a specific sentence within the broader context of a passage.
Estimated Time:1m 30s