Unit 4
Varieties of Milk
Reading Text 1
There are many different types of milk that
are available to consume in the market. Often as a
consumer, we are confused on which product to
choose. This is also the case for milk. In determining
the best milk to choose there are many
considerations because they share many distinctive
features to be considered. Therefore, this essay
compares the between goat and cow milk based on
their texture and flavour, ease of digestion, and
nutrition.
In terms of texture and flavour, these two
types of milk are different. Goat milk is considered
thicker than cow milk and this thickness comes from
the cream in goat milk. On the other hand, cow milk
is not as thick as goat’s milk and this is because it
contains agglutinin which is a compound in cow milk
that enables the fat globules to cluster and rise to
the top. For flavour, it is said that goat milk is
sweeter than cow milk.
In regards to ease of digestion, goat milk is
easier for humans to digest. The reason for this is
that goat milk has similar protein composition to
human milk and thus making it easier to digest.
Another reason for this is also the lower lactose and
acidic content in goat milk. This results in a 30-
A. Vocabulary
Read passage above carefully. Match the vocabularies below with their meaning according
to the context given in the passage.
1. Distinctive : _____________
2. Ease : _____________
3. Contain : _____________
4. Digestion : _____________
5. Compound : _____________
Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk
minute digestion time Unlike cow milk, it has a
higher lactose and acidic content making it longer
for human to digest. Normally, it takes
approximately 2 hours for a person to digest and
absorb the nutrients in cow milk.
For nutrition, goat milk is also considered
superior. Goat milk contains more calcium, zinc, and
selenium compared to cow milk. Goat milk also helps
improve good cholesterol levels while eliminating
bad cholesterol as well which cow milk cannot do.
Another benefit of goat milk compared to cow milk
is that goat milk helps to improve skin tone and
texture due to its high concentration of vitamin A.
In conclusion, it can be seen from the
information above that there are many differences
between goat milk and cow milk in terms of their
texture and flavour, ease of digestion, and nutrition.
From the information above, it can be said that goat
milk has greater health benefits as opposed to cow
milk.
Sourced and edited from:
http://www.namhpac.org/4-key-differences-between-goat-milk-
and-cows-milk/
https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/general/differences-
cow-milk-goat-milk/
6. Enable : _____________
7. Cluster : _____________
8. Approximately : _____________
9. Absorb : _____________
10. Tone : _____________
English for Animal Husbandry 20
Definition: FACTS Goat Milk Cow Milk

A. Different from others. Ticker than cow milk Not as thick as goat milk
B. Have. Texture and
It is thicker because of the It contains agglutinin
C. Soak up. Flavour
cream that makes the fat
D. Allow something to happen. globules cluster and rise
E. Soak in energy, liquid or to the top
other substances. Not as sweet as goat
Sweeter than cow milk
F. A substance.
G. The level of easiness.
H. Group of similar things.
I. About/roughly.
J. Brightness/shade of a colour. Ease of Easier to digest for humans Harder to digest for
digestion than cow milk humans

B. Reading It has similar composition to

Comprehension
1. Mention the differences and
similarities between goat
milk and cow milk discussed
in the text!
________________________
________________________
________________________
human milk
Has lower lactose and acidic
content than cow milk
30-minutes digestion time
Nutrition Has better nutrition
Contains more calcium, zinc,
selenium
Has higher lactose and
acidic content than goat
milk
2-hour digestion time
Has less nutrition than
goat milk
Contains less calcium,
zinc, selenium

________________________ Helps improve cholesterol Does not help improve

levels and eliminating the cholesterol, skin tone,
________________________ bad cholesterol and texture
________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain the texture of cow milk!
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. According to the text, why is goat milk easier to digest than cow milk?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. How long does it take for people to digest goat milk and cow milk?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. According to the text, what is the benefit of goat milk?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

English for Animal Husbandry 21

 Compare and Contrast 2
A comparative essay asks that you compare at least two (possibly more) items.
These items will differ depending on the assignment. You might be asked to compare:
✓ positions on an issue (e.g., responses to cyberwarfare in Russia and China)
✓ theories (e.g., capitalism and communism)
✓ figures (e.g., GDP in the United States and Britain)
✓ texts (e.g., Shakespeare’s Hamletand Macbeth)
✓ events (e.g., the Great Depression and the global financial crisis of 2008–9)
Although the assignment may say “compare,” the assumption is that you will consider
both the similarities and differences; in other words, you will compare and contrast.

KNOW THIS!

Make sure you know the basis for the comparison

The assignment sheet may say exactly what you need to compare, or it may ask you
to come up with a basis for comparison yourself. Look at the differences in the table
below:

PROVIDED BY THE ESSAY QUESTION DEVELOPED BY YOU

The essay question may ask that you consider The question may simply ask that you compare
the figure of the gentleman in Charles the two novels.
Dickens’s Great Expectations and Anne
Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

The basis for comparison will be the figure of If so, you will need to develop a basis for
the gentleman. comparison, that is, a theme, concern, or
device common to both works from which you
can draw similarities and differences.

Step to Write Compare and Contrast

1. Develop a list of similarities and differences
Once you know your basis for comparison, think critically about the similarities and
differences between the items you are comparing, and compile a list of them.
For example, you might decide that goat milk is sweeter than cow milk.
The list you have generated is not yet your outline for the essay, but it should
provide you with enough similarities and differences to construct an initial plan. This
is similar with the table above in comparing Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk.
2. Develop a thesis based on the relative weight of similarities and differences
Once you have listed similarities and differences, decide whether the similarities on
the whole outweigh the differences or vice versa. Create a thesis statement that reflects
their relative weights. A more complex thesis will usually include both similarities and
differences. Here are examples of the two main cases:

English for Animal Husbandry 22

 Differences Outweigh Similarities Similarities Outweigh Differences
Both of the milks share evenly good features The two milks are at fairly even nutrition
in term of texture and flavor, but are not when it comes to a healthy drink solutions,
entirely the same. though more often than not, Goat Milk tends
to have the better nutrition here.
Modified from https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/comparative-essay/

Organizational Scheme
Your introduction will include your frame of reference, grounds for comparison, and thesis.
There are two basic ways to organize the body of your paper.
1. In text-by-text, you discuss all of A, then all of B.
2. In point-by-point, you alternate points about A with comparable points about B.
If you think that B extends A, you'll probably use a text-by-text scheme; if you see A and B
engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict. No matter
which organizational scheme you choose, you need not give equal time to similarities and
differences. In fact, your paper will be more interesting if you get to the heart of your
argument as quickly as possible.
Abridged from https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-write-comparative-analysis

Transition Signal Used

COMPARE CONTRAST
Similarly neither... nor... However whereas
Likewise just like (+ noun) In contrast but
Also similar to (+ noun) In comparison to differ from
both... and... to be similar (to) By comparison to be different (from)
to compare (to/with) to be the same as On the other hand to be dissimilar to
not only... but also... to be alike While to be unlike
Source: https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/candc/

Practice 1
A. Read and scan again the text entitled Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk, then analyse the
structure of its comparison and contrast essay using the question below.

1. What tense is being used?

___________________________________________________________________________
2. How many paragraphs are there?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. What does the first paragraph contain?
___________________________________________________________________________
4. Underline the topic sentences in each body paragraphs!
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the last paragraph? What does it contain?
___________________________________________________________________________

English for Animal Husbandry 23

 Practice 2
Write a comparative essay about two different types of cheese based on the
information provided in the table below.

FACTS Goat Cheese Cow Cheese

Characteristic
Nutrition
Feta, VBC, Coupole,
Variation of cheese
Humbolt Fog
Availability and Price
• High concentration • Low concentration
of different fatty of different fatty
acids acids
• Tangy flavour • Earthy flavour
• White in colour • Yellowish in
colour
• Soft • Firm
• Less milk protein • More milk protein
• Richer in • Contains less
vitamin A, vitamin A, vitamin
vitamin B, B, calcium, iron,
calcium, iron, and magnesium
and
magnesium
Comte, Marieska Gouda,
Pleasant Ridge Reserve
• Not many available • More common in
the market
• Very expensive • Cheap

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