Reading Passage Question
From the moment in 1502 when he was elected Pope Julius II, sycophantical poets declared Cardinal Guiliano della Rovere the spiritual emperor of the Christian world, the second coming of Julius Caesar, the first Emperor of Rome. The new pope expended a great deal of effort to emulate his namesake. Upon at least one of the commemorative medals struck to celebrate his papacy, the former Cardinal was described as, "Pope Julius Caesar."
In another example of emperorial behavior, Julius II vowed to expel the French from the Italian peninsula. Then, after an exceptionally long military campaign in which he succeeded in driving the French from several of their Italian strongholds and thereby enlarged the papal territories, the pope triumphantly rode through Rome in a chariot drawn by four white horses. He was even brazen enough to pass underneath the famous arch upon which were inscribed Caesar's famous words "I came, I saw, I conquered."
It was Julius II's firm resolution to solidify Rome as the center of Christianity and as the greatest of all the cities of the Renaissance. Through the levying of additional taxes, he enlarged the papal state and accumulated substantial wealth which he subsequently used to realize this vision. He employed Donato Bramante as his chief architect and then set about destroying and rebuilding the structures of ancient Rome, using the ruins of the Roman forum as a stone quarry for his modern structures. Even the ancient Basilica of St. Peter's, originally constructed by the first Christian emperor Constantine, did not escape this massive gentrification project. Despite the widespread belief that St. Peter himself was buried beneath the Basilica, Julius ordered it razed to make way for one of his many projects.
“From the Moment in 1502 When he was Elected Pope Julius II, Sycophantical Poets Declared Cardinal Guiliano della Rovere" whenever a writer employs techniques”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.
This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 7 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.
Solution and Explanation
- Which of the following is the most likely source of this passage?
(A) A treatise on papal legacies
(B) A research paper on St. Peter's Basilica
(C) A biography of Julius Caesar
(D) A volume on Roman architecture
(E) A personal account of the Renaissance
Answer: A
Explanation: The ideal response is (a). The paragraph focuses on the missions and accomplishments of Pope Julius II and how they affected Rome. Even if the passage's final section addresses the destruction of St. Peter's Basilica and the Roman forum (Roman architecture).
- Which of the following can be inferred about the author from the tone and content of the passage?
(A) The author admires the militaristic legacy of Julius Ceasar.
(B) The author believes Rome was at its greatest in the sixteenth century.
(C) The author supports the beatification of Pope Julius II, the Spiritual emperor of the Christian world.
(D) The author agrees with the historically widespread belief concerning the resting place of St. Peter.
(E) The author regrets some of the restoration performed during the reign of Julius ll.
Answer: E
Explanation: The ideal response is (e). The author's use of language makes it clear that he disagrees with at least some aspects of Julius II's rebuilding of Rome. He implied that the restoration of the historic Basilica under Julius II was something to be avoided. For instance, when he said that it "did not escape." After recounting the history of the ancient Basilica, he merely referred to its replacement as "one of" Julius II's "many undertakings." It involved using the verb "razed" to characterise Julius's actions.
- With which of the following would the author most likely NOT agree?
(A) Cardinal Guiliano della Rovere strove to elevate Rome during his reign as pope.
(B) Julius Caesar was admired in Rome, even as late as the early fifteen hundreds.
(C) Through his varied achievements, Julius II earned his regard as Julius Caesar's equal.
(D) Expansion of the papal territories contributed directly to Julius II's restoration of Rome.
(E)Julius II may have been called the spiritual emperor, but he was not in fact the first Christian emperor.
Answer: C
Explanation: The optimum response is selection (c). Julius II did not merit status equivalent to that of Julius Caesar, according to the author, who makes this apparent. The author's claim that Julius II's pass beneath an arch just containing an inscription by Caesar was "brazen" serves as proof of this.
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