Name: Class: PARAGRAPH WRITING

Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs

------- Practice test ------A. ORGANIZATION Task 1: Using words in the box to fill in the gaps different block organization repeat the main idea name the topic courses and teachers point-by-point organization make a recommendation applicants for jobs job offers similar indicate organization products and prices

Comparison and contrast is a technique that we use every day. For example, we compare and contrast (1)_____________ when we decide which classes to take. e compare and contrast (!)_____________when we shop. "n employer compares and contrasts (#)_____________, and a $o% applicant compares and contrasts (&) _____________. hen we compare two (or more) thin's, we tell what is (()_____________ a%out them. we contrast thin's, we tell what is ()) _____________ a%out them. *here are two ways to or'ani+e a comparison,contrast para'raph. -ne way is called (.)_____________, and the other way is called (/)_____________. " topic sentence 0or a comparison,contrast para'raph should (1)_____________ and also (12)_____________. " concludin' sentence 0or a comparison,contrast para'raph may (11)_____________ and also (1!)_____________. Task 2: Read each paragraph carefully and decide whether the writer has used the point-bypoint method or the block method. Also decide whether the piece emphasizes similarities or differences. 1. Female in0ants speak sooner, have lar'er voca%ularies, and rarely demonstrate speech de0ects. (3tutterin', 0or instance, occurs almost exclusively amon' %oys.) 4irls exceed %oys in lan'ua'e a%ilities, and this early lin'uistic %ias o0ten prevails throu'hout li0e. 4irls read sooner, learn 0orei'n lan'ua'es more easily, and, as a result, are more likely to enter occupations involvin' lan'ua'e mastery. 5oys, in contrast, show an early visual superiority. *hey are also clumsier, per0ormin' poorly at somethin' like arran'in' a row o0 %eads, %ut excel at other activities callin' on total %ody coordination. *heir attentional mechanisms are also di00erent. " %oy will react to an inanimate o%$ect as quickly as he will to a person. " male %a%y will o0ten i'nore the mother and %a%%le to a %linkin' li'ht, 0ixate on a 'eometric 0i'ure, and at a later point, manipulate it and attempt to take it apart.
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hen

_____________ 6oint7%y7point _____________ 5lock

_____________ 3imilarities _____________ 8i00erences

!. *he streets are littered with ci'arette and ci'ar %utts, paper wrappin's, particles o0 0ood, and do' droppin's. 9ow lon' %e0ore they %ecome indistin'uisha%le 0rom the 'utters o0 medieval towns when slop pails were emptied 0rom the second7story windows: *housands o0 ;ew <ork women no lon'er attend evenin' services in their churches. *hey 0ear assault as they walk the 0ew steps 0rom %us or su%way station to their apartment houses. *he era o0 the medieval 0ootpad= has returned, and, as in the 8ark "'es, the cry 0or help %rin's no assistance, 0or even 'rown men know they would %e cut down %e0ore the police could arrive. _____________ 6oint7%y7point _____________ 3imilarities _____________ 5lock _____________ 8i00erences

#. > 0irst reali+ed that the act o0 writin' was a%out to enter a new era 0ive years a'o when > went to see an editor at the New ork !imes. "s > was ushered throu'h the vast city room > 0elt that > had strayed into the wron' o00ice. *he place was clean and carpeted and quiet. "s > passed lon' rows o0 desks, > saw that almost every desk had its own computer terminal and its own solemn occupant?a man or a woman typin' at the computer key%oard or readin' what was on the terminal screen. > saw no typewriters, no paper, no mess. >t was a cool and sterile environment@ the drones at their machines could have %een processin' insurance claims or trackin' a spacecra0t in or%it. hat they didnAt look like were newspaper people, and what the place didnAt look like was a newspaper o00ice. > knew how a newspaper o00ice should look and sound and smell?> worked in one 0or thirteen years. *he paper was the New ork "erald !ribune# and its city room, wide as a city %lock, was dirty and disheveled. Beporters wrote on ancient typewriters that 0illed the air with clatter@ copy editors la%ored on co00ee7stained desks over what the reporters had written. Crumpled %alls o0 paper littered the 0loor and 0illed the waste%askets?0ailed e00orts to write a 'ood lead or a decent sentence. *he walls were 'rimy?every 0ew years they were painted over in a less rest0ul shade o0 eye7rest 'reen?and the atmosphere was ha+y with the smoke o0 ci'arettes and ci'ars. "t the very center the city editor, a 'iant named C. C. Dn'elkin', %ellowed his displeasure with the dayAs work, his voice a rum%lin' volcano in our lives. > thou'ht it was the most %eauti0ul place in the world. _____________ 6oint7%y7point _____________ 3imilarities _____________ 5lock &. _____________ 8i00erences

e went 0ishin' the 0irst mornin'. > 0elt the same damp moss coverin' the worms in the %ait can, and saw the dra'on0ly ali'ht on the tip o0 my rod as it hovered a 0ew inches 0rom the sur0ace o0 the water. >t was the arrival o0 this 0ly that convinced me %eyond any dou%t that everythin' was as it always had %een, that the years were a mira'e and there had %een no years. *he small waves were the same, chuckin' the row%oat under the chin as we 0ished at anchor, and the %oat was the same %oat, the same color 'reen and the ri%s %roken in the same places, and under the 0loor%oards the same 0reshwater leavin's and de%ris?the dead hell'rammite, the wisps o0 moss, the rusty discarded 0ishhook, the dried %lood 0rom yesterdayAs catch. e stared silently at the tips o0 our rods, at the dra'on0lies that came and went. > lowered the tip o0 mine into the water, tentatively, pensively dislod'in' the 0ly, which darted two 0eet away, poised, darted two 0eet %ack, and came to rest a'ain a little 0arther up the rod. *here had %een no years %etween the duckin' o0 this
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dra'on0ly and the other one?the one that was part o0 memory. > looked at the %oy, who was silently watchin' his 0ly, and it was my hands that held his rod, my eyes watchin'. > 0elt di++y and didnAt know which rod > was at the end o0. _____________ 6oint7%y7point _____________ 3imilarities _____________ 5lock B. TRANSITIONS Task 3: $illing the gaps with the transitions Right Brain / Left Brain %n contrast Athough $or example whereas x & on the other hand x & _____________ 8i00erences

*he le0t and ri'ht sides o0 your %rain process in0ormation in di00erent ways. *he le0t side is lo'ical, rational, linear, and ver%al. *he ri'ht side, (1)____________, processes in0ormation intuitively, emotionally, creatively, and visually. Ce0t %rains think in words, (!) ____________ ri'ht %rains think in pictures. 6eople who depend more on the le0t side o0 their %rain are list makers and analysts. *hey are detailed, care0ul, and or'ani+ed. (#) ____________, ri'ht7%rained people are visual, intuitive, and sensual. hen a le0t7%rained person has to make an important decision, he or she makes a mental list o0 all the 0actors involved and arrives at a decision only a0ter care0ul analysis. hen a ri'ht7%rained person has to make the same decision, (&) ____________, he or she is more likely to %ase it on intuition and 0eelin's. (() ____________, a le0t7%rained automo%ile shopper will consider a carAs cost, 0uel e0Eciency, and resale value, ()) ____________ a ri'ht7%rained shopper %ases a decision on how shiny the chrome is, how so0t the seats are, and how smoothly the car drives. -0 course, no one is 122 percent le0t7%rained or 122 percent ri'ht7%rained. (.) ____________ one side may %e stron'er, %oth sides normally work to'ether. Tw ! " A##$icants while 'imilarly "owe(er $inally !he )rst 'econd

From the 0ourteen applications received 0or the $o% o0 receptionist, two applicants stand out. Followin' is a summary o0 their qualiEcations. Dducationally, the two applicants are quite similar. FG has completed two years o0 colle'e, $ust as 3 has, and their 'rade point avera'es are approximately equal. FGAs one past employer was very positive. (1), 3 As past employers 'ave very hi'h recommendations. (!), %oth applicants can start work on the same date (Fune 1). *here are two di00erences %etween the $o% applicants that may inHuence the hirin' decision. (#) di00erence is that FGAs $o% in a medical o0Ece included some contact with patients, whereas 3 As volunteer work in the li%rary and 'i0t shop o0 a local hospital included no patient contact. (&), FG likes to %e part o0 a team, (() 3 pre0ers to work independently. *he hirin' decision is di0Ecult %ecause %oth applicants are equally well qualiEed. ()), FG would %e the %etter choice 0or the
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receptionist $o% %ecause o0 her experience with patient contact and pre0erence 0or workin' with other sta00. >0 there is a 0uture openin' 0or a la% assistant, 3 would %e an excellent choice 0or that position. Tw %arieties f &ng$ish but Although *ne difference A second area $inally though wherea s Also All in all $or example in contrast

(1) ____________I.3. Dn'lish and 5ritish Dn'lish are mutually understanda%le lan'ua'es, there are quite a 0ew di00erences. (!) ____________ is spellin'. 3ome words are spelled one way in the Inited 3tates %ut spelt another way in 4reat 5ritain. " person 'oes to a 5ritish theatre %ut to a I.3. theater. >n I.3. schools, students theori+e, analy+e and sociali+e, (#)____________ 5ritish students theorise, analyse, and socialise. (&)____________ o0 di00erence is voca%ulary. (() ____________, the word colle'e names two very di00erent types o0 schools in the Inited 3tates and 4reat 5ritain ? university level in the Inited 3tates and pre7university level in 4reat 5ritain. ())____________, 5ritish university students live in halls on campus and in Hats o00 campus, (.)____________ I.3. students live in dormitories on campus and in apartments o00 campus. (/)____________, there are many di00erences in pronunciation. >n 4reat 5ritain, the sound o0 a in the words path, lau'h, aunt, plant, and dance is like the a in 0ather. >n the Inited 3tates, (1)____________, the a sound in the words is like the a in cat. (12)____________, (11)____________ there are di00erences %etween the Dn'lish spoken in the Inited 3tates and the Dn'lish spoken in the 5ritish >sles, we understand each other most o0 the timeJ '. (RITING Task ): +hoosing one topic to write a comparison,contrast paragraph. 1. 6layin' iiK 'ames and playin' real 'ames.

!. 6hysical %eauty to inner %eauty. #. 3tudyin' a%road and studyin' in your country.

Answer *e+

1. Comparison and contrast is a technique that we use every day. For example, we compare and contrast (1) c ,rses an- teachers when we decide which classes to take. e compare and contrast ./0 #r -,cts an- #rices when we shop. "n employer compares and contrasts (#) a##$icants f r 1 "s, and a $o% applicant compares and contrasts (&) 1 " ffers. hen we compare two (or more) thin's, we tell what is (() si2i$ar a%out them. contrast thin's, we tell what is ()) -ifferent a%out them. hen we

*here are two ways to or'ani+e a comparison,contrast para'raph. -ne way is called (.) "$ ck rgani3ati n, and the other way is called (/) # int-"+-# int rgani3ati n. " topic sentence 0or a comparison,contrast para'raph should (1) na2e the t #ic and also (12) in-icate rgani3ati n. " concludin' sentence 0or a comparison,contrast para'raph may (11) re#eat the 2ain i-ea and also (1!) 2ake a rec 22en-ati n. !. 1. 5lock, 8i00erences !. 6oint7%y7point, similarities #. 5lock, 8i00erences &. 6oint7%y7point, similarities #. Right Brain / Left Brain *he le0t and ri'ht sides o0 your %rain process in0ormation in di00erent ways. *he le0t side is lo'ical, rational, linear, and ver%al. *he ri'ht side, (1) n the ther han-, processes in0ormation intuitively, emotionally, creatively, and visually. Ce0t %rains think in words, (!) whereas ri'ht %rains think in pictures. 6eople who depend more on the le0t side o0 their %rain are list makers and analysts. *hey are detailed, care0ul, and or'ani+ed. (#)In c ntrast, ri'ht7%rained people are visual, intuitive, and sensual. hen a le0t7%rained person has to make an important decision, he or she makes a mental list o0 all the 0actors involved and arrives at a decision only a0ter care0ul analysis. hen a ri'ht7%rained person has to make the same decision, (&) n the ther han-, he or she is more likely to %ase it on intuition and 0eelin's. (() 4 r e5a2#$e, a le0t7%rained automo%ile shopper will consider a carAs cost, 0uel e00iciency, and resale value, ())whereas a ri'ht7%rained shopper %ases a decision on how shiny the chrome is, how so0t the seats are, and how smoothly the car drives. -0 course, no one is 122 percent le0t7%rained or 122 percent ri'ht7 %rained. (.)A$th ,gh one side may %e stron'er, %oth sides normally work to'ether. Tw ! " A##$icants From the 0ourteen applications received 0or the $o% o0 receptionist, two applicants stand out. Followin' is a summary o0 their qualiEcations. Dducationally, the two applicants are quite similar. FG has completed two years o0 colle'e, $ust as 3 has, and their 'rade point avera'es are approximately equal. FGAs one past employer was very positive. (1) Si2i$ar$+, 3 As past employers 'ave very hi'h recommendations. (!)4ina$$+, %oth applicants can start work on the same date (Fune 1). *here are two di00erences %etween the $o% applicants that may inHuence the
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hirin' decision. (#)The 6rst di00erence is that FGAs $o% in a medical o0Ece included some contact with patients, whereas 3 As volunteer work in the li%rary and 'i0t shop o0 a local hospital included no patient contact. (&)Sec n-, FG likes to %e part o0 a team, (() whi$e 3 pre0ers to work independently. *he hirin' decision is di0Ecult %ecause %oth applicants are equally well qualiEed. ())7 we8er, FG would %e the %etter choice 0or the receptionist $o% %ecause o0 her experience with patient contact and pre0erence 0or workin' with other sta00. >0 there is a 0uture openin' 0or a la% assistant, 3 would %e an excellent choice 0or that position. Tw %arieties f &ng$ish .90A$th ,gh I.3. Dn'lish and 5ritish Dn'lish are mutually understanda%le lan'ua'es, there are quite a 0ew di00erences. (!)One -ifference is spellin'. 3ome words are spelled one way in the Inited 3tates %ut spelt another way in 4reat 5ritain. " person 'oes to a 5ritish theatre %ut to a I.3. theater. >n I.3. schools, students theori+e, analy+e and sociali+e, (#) whereas 5ritish students theorise, analyse, and socialise. (&) A sec n- area o0 di00erence is voca%ulary. (()4 r e5a2#$e, the word colle'e names two very di00erent types o0 schools in the Inited 3tates and 4reat 5ritain ? university level in the Inited 3tates and pre7university level in 4reat 5ritain. ())A$s , 5ritish university students live in halls on campus and in Hats o00 campus, (.) ",t I.3. students live in dormitories on campus and in apartments o00 campus. (/) 4ina$$+, there are many di00erences in pronunciation. >n 4reat 5ritain, the sound o0 a in the words path, lau'h, aunt, plant, and dance is like the a in 0ather. >n the Inited 3tates, (1)in c ntrast, the a sound in the words is like the a in cat. (12) A$$ in a$$, (11)th ,gh there are di00erences %etween the Dn'lish spoken in the Inited 3tates and the Dn'lish spoken in the 5ritish >sles, we understand each other most o0 the timeJ