Question 79·Easy·Command of Evidence
Stone and Sky is a 2021 novella by L. R. Rowe. The narrator is apprenticed to a famed sculptor, Master Aurelio. The narrator often expresses admiration for Master Aurelio’s artistry, as can be seen when the narrator says, _____
Which quotation from Stone and Sky most effectively illustrates this admiration?
For questions asking which quotation best illustrates an attitude (such as admiration), first underline the key attitude word in the prompt and restate it in your own words (for example, "admiration" = respect and positive regard). Then quickly scan each option for tone and focus: cross out any choice with clearly negative feelings (complaints, fear, desire to escape) or that focuses on something other than the person’s skill. Among the remaining choices, select the one where the narrator’s actions or thoughts directly show respect, imitation, or a desire to be like the person being described.
Hints
Focus on the key word in the question
Re-read the prompt and underline the word "admiration." You are looking for a quote where the narrator clearly respects or looks up to Master Aurelio.
Check the emotional tone of each answer
For each option, ask: Does the narrator sound positive and impressed, or negative (annoyed, scared, or wanting to leave)? Admiration will have a positive, respectful tone.
Look for learning or imitation
Does any option show the narrator trying to learn from Master Aurelio or copying something he does because the narrator thinks he is skilled? That kind of behavior often signals admiration.
Separate reactions to the workshop from reactions to the master
Some choices may describe the workshop or the atmosphere generally. Make sure the quote you choose directly reflects how the narrator feels about Master Aurelio himself and his skill as a sculptor.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is really asking
The prompt says the narrator "often expresses admiration for Master Aurelio’s artistry" and asks which quotation "most effectively illustrates this admiration."
Focus on the key idea: admiration for his artistry. That means we need a line where the narrator:
- Has a positive attitude toward Master Aurelio, and
- Focuses on his skill or craft as a sculptor.
Check each option’s tone (positive vs. negative)
Go through the answer choices and ask: Is the narrator expressing positive admiration, or something else?
- If the tone is annoyed, angry, afraid, or wanting to escape, it does not show admiration.
- If the tone is respectful, impressed, or shows a desire to learn from Master Aurelio, it might show admiration.
Eliminate obviously non-admiring quotes
Look at the content of each option:
- One option describes the narrator cursing the long hours in the workshop — that shows frustration, not admiration.
- Another describes Master Aurelio’s words making everyone uneasy — that focuses on fear/tension, not respect for artistry.
- Another describes the narrator dreaming of leaving the workshop and going somewhere with no stone — that shows a desire to escape, not to learn from him.
All of these have negative or avoidant feelings, so they cannot be the best evidence of admiration.
Choose the quote that shows respect and a wish to match his skill
The remaining option shows the narrator carefully copying Master Aurelio’s way of holding the chisel and hoping to one day have hands as sure and skilled as his. This imitation and desire to reach the master’s level clearly express admiration for Master Aurelio’s artistry.
Correct answer: “I copied his steady grip on the chisel, hoping that one day my hands would be half as certain as his.”