UNIT 8

Text Organization 1: Comparison & Contrast

Comparing and Contrasting Products and Places
Using the Noun Clauses

OBJECTIVES:

1. To identify markers of Comparison and Contrast

2. To compare and contrast things
3. To use the Noun Clauses

A. Reading: Comparison & Contrast

In the table are the frequently used markers or signal words for Comparison & Contrast.
Comparison focuses on similarities, but Contrast focuses on differences

Comparison Contrast
Like both … and Unlike yet
the same as equally (important) different (from) however
as … as similarly not the same as whereas
similar (to) likewise not as … as on the other hand
equal in the same way but while
…er than, more … than

Sample text

Oceans and lakes have much in common, but they are also quite different. Both are bodies
of water, but oceans are very large bodies of salt water, while lakes are much smaller bodies
of fresh water. Lakes are usually surrounded by land, while oceans are what surround
continents. Both have plants and animals living in them. The ocean is home to the largest
animals on the planet, whereas lakes support much smaller forms of life. When it is time for
a vacation, both will make a great place to visit and enjoy.
B. Structure: Sub-Clause 2 - Noun Clauses
A noun clause is a clause functioning as a noun, i.e. as a subject, object or a subject complement.
A noun clause begins with either THAT or WH-words (who, what, when, etc.), or if/whether.
However, in its object position, the word THAT can be omitted.

Examples:

Noun Clause as a Subject

 That she worked hard for the whole term pleased her parents.
 How we remember, what we remember, and why we remember form the most
personal map of our individuality.
 Whether she comes to the meeting has not been decided yet.
Noun Clause as an Object

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  I wonder how long we should wait here.
 We don’t know if the Dean is at his office.

Noun Clause as a Subject Complement

 My greatest asset is that I am a hard worker.

 My question is why John often comes late to the class.

Exercise 1
Complete the following with the correct Noun Clauses.
1. Why …………………………………………………..…………….………. is still a mystery.
2. We know where …………………………………………………….…………………………..
3. Our plan is that ………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Whether she ……………………………………………….. depends on her budget.
5. Do you remember if ……………………………………………………………………………
C. Speaking

Making Comparison and Contrast of Products and Places

Practice comparing and contrasting the features of the three products based on the
table below.

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 UNIT 8: EXERCISES
Text Organization 1: Comparison & Contrast
Comparing and Contrasting Products and Places
Using the Noun Clauses

A. Reading Comprehension: Comparison & Contrast

Exercise 1
Read the following paragraph about the Comparison-Contrast between HIGH SCHOOL and COLLEGE.
Underline all the signal words for comparison and contrast.

Even though high school and college are both places of learning, they differ in at least three
ways. The first difference between high school and college is their social atmospheres. In high school
the building is usually smaller, so most students know each other. In addition, students in high school
have the same six-hour 7:40 to 2:30 day, which helps them to know one another better. At college
people are constantly coming and going, rarely seeing the same person twice in one day. The second
difference between high school and college is their policies about homework. In high school,
homework is usually. Knowing they have to submit assignments in algebra or history makes students
keep up with these subjects. In college most homework consists of just studying; very little of it is
written and turned in. If students do their homework, it is to their advantage; if they do not, the
teachers will not force them to. The student is only wasting his own money if he neglects his course
work. The third and last difference between high school and college is their attendance policies. In
high school, students must attend class or their parents will be called. In college, students may skip
classes if they choose and refer to the syllabus to get missed assignments or tests. It is the student’s
responsibility to make work up. In spite of these differences between high school and college, they
both serve the same purpose — to prepare an individual for the real world.

Exercise 2
Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.
When used for studies of learning and memory, the octopus is a more interesting subject
than the squid. Unlike the free-swimming squid, which relies exclusively on its eyes to guide it
to a tasty fish or crab, the octopus often feeds off the bottom of the sea. It uses only its eyes
but its tentacles to identify a likely meal. The brain of the octopus has two separate memory-
5 storage areas-one for visual memories and one for tactile memories.

Choose the best answer.

1. The passage is mainly about ____________.
A. a new way of feeding fish C. how to go deep-sea fishing
B. biological differences between two animals D. a warning to deep-sea divers

2. How does the squid find its food?

A. By sight only C. Both by sight and by touch
B. By touch only D. In none of the ways described above

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 3. According to the passage, which of the following can describe the octopus?
A. Its brain is simpler than that of a squid.
B. It cannot look and touch at the same time.
C. Its brain does not function very well.
D. The memory of what it has seen and touched is contained in separate areas.
4. The word “unlike” in line 2 is used to show ________________.
A. contrast B. comparison
5. The word “which” in line 2 refers to __________________.
A. the octopus B. the crab C. the fish D. the squid
6.. The word “It” in line 3 refers to __________________.
A. the octopus B. the crab C. the fish D. the squid
7. The word “one” in line 5 refers to _____________.
A. visual memories C. tactile memories
B. memory storage area D. the brain of octopus

Exercise 2
Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.

The camera and the eye are similar in many respects. They both need light rays in order to
function. Both have a sensitive surface on which the image is formed. In the eye the image is
formed on the retina. In the camera the image is formed on the film. As in a camera, the
image on the retina is inverted.
5 Both the eye and the camera have a lens. The lens focuses the image on the sensitive
surface. In the camera the lens moves backwards and forwards. In the eye the curvature of
the lens is changed. In this respect, the eye differs from the camera.
Both the camera and the eye have a device to regulate the amount of light that passes
through the lens. In the camera there is a shutter of variable speed and a diaphragm of
10 variable aperture. In the eye the iris automatically adjusts the size of the pupil according to
the intensity of light.
Both the eye and the camera are sensitive to light, shade, and colour. The film records
light, shade, and colour. The eye perceives them but does not record them. The two eyes
together produce a three-dimensional image. The camera lens produce a two-dimensional
15 image.
The eye is more flexible than the camera. It can adapt more quickly to a wider range of
light conditions. Both the camera and the eye can register small objects and distant objects.
The camera performs these functions better than the eye.

A. Put a Cross (X) on each column if the characteristics belong to the Eye or the Camera.

Characteristics Eye Camera

The image is inverted
The lens focuses the image.
Sensitive to light, shade, and colour.
Records light, shade, and colour.
Produces three-dimensional images.

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B. Now answer the following questions.

1. What is the eye's sensitive surface called?

2. What devices in the eye and the camera regulate the amount of light that enters?
3. What advantages do the eyes have over the camera?
4. What advantages does the camera have over the eye?
5. What does the word “They” in line refer to?
6. What does the word “that” in line 8 refer to?
7. What does the word “them” in line 13 refers?
8. What is the part of speech of the word “sensitive” in line 5?
9. What is the part of speech of the word “device” in line 8?
10. What is the part of speech of the word “automatically” in line 10?
11. What is the part of speech of the word “records” in line 12?
12. What is the part of speech of the word “image” in line 14?
13. What is the part of speech of the word “flexible” in line 16?
14. What is the part of speech of the word “register” in line 17?
15. What is the part of speech of the word “functions” in line 18?

C. Complete the following statements showing similarities and differences between the eye and the
camera.

SIMILARITIES
How they work They cannot function without ……………………………….…
They have a ………………….…. to form the ………………….…

What they are able to do Both can …………………………………………………………………….

DIFFERENCES
How they work In the eye the image is formed on the ………………………………….
In the ………………..… the image is formed on a …………..……..….
The eye …………………. light, shade and color.
The …………………………. cannot record …………………………………..

What they are able to do The ………………………….. is able to …………………..………….…………

D. Complete this table about the eye and the camera to show differences of degree.

What they are able to do Degree

Ability to see small objects The ………….…. is better than the ……………………………………
Ability to see distant objects
Ability to adjust for focus The …………………. is more flexible than the ……………….……
The camera’s range is ………………………… the …………………….

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B. Structure
Noun Clauses
Exercise 1
Read the following text and answer the questions that follow.
Underline all the noun clauses in the following paragraphs.
Digital imaging uses an electronic image sensor to record the image as a set of
electronic data rather than as chemical changes on film. The primary difference between
digital and chemical photography is that chemical photography resists photo manipulation
because it involves film and photographic paper, while digital imaging is a highly manipulative
medium. This allows for a degree of image post-processing that is comparatively difficult in
5 film-based photography and permits different communicative potentials and applications.
Digital imaging has raised ethical concerns because of the ease of manipulating digital
photographs in post-processing. Many photojournalists have declared that they will not crop
their pictures, or are forbidden from combining elements of multiple photos to make
"photomontages", passing them as "real" photographs. Today's technology has made image
10 editing relatively simple for even the novice photographer. However, recent changes of in-
camera processing allows digital fingerprinting of photos to detect tampering for purposes of
forensic photography.

Exercise 2
Underline all the noun clauses in the following paragraphs.

　 　 The great mathematician John von Neumann was one of the founders of game theory. In
particular, he showed that all games fall into two classes: there are what he called games of “perfect
information”, games like chess where the players can’t hide anything or play tricks; they don’t win by
chance, but by means of logic and skills. Then there are games of “imperfect information”, like poker,
in which it is impossible to know in advance that one course of action is better than another.
　　 One mistaken idea about business is that it can be treated as a game of perfect information.
Quite the reverse, business, politics, life itself are games which we must normally play with very
imperfect information. Business decisions are often made with many unknown and unknowable
factors which would even puzzle best poker players. But few business people find it comfortable to
admit that they are taking a chance, and many still prefer to believe that they are playing chess, not
poker.
Exercise 3
Complete the following with your own words.  Use noun clauses. 
e.g. I feel that she will do well on the test.

1-   I feel that ……………………………….……………………………………

2-   I wonder where ……………………………………………………………..
3-   We hope that …………………………………..……………………………
4-   It is a fact that ………………………………………….……………………
5-   I don’t know how much …………………………………………………….
6-   I am worried that ……………………………………………………….……
7-   Can you tell me how ………………………………………………………?

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8. Do you know when ………………………………………………………….?
9. Our plan is that ……………………………………………………………….
10. Our question is why …………………………………………………………

Exercise 4
Respond to these questions using I don't know/I know/ Can you tell me/Do you know/I wonder
Example: Where did John go last night?
I don’t know where John went last night.

1-   How tall is Kate? I don’t know ------

2-   How old is the President? I don't know ----- 
3-   What did she say? I have no idea ----
4-   When does the cafeteria open? I know ----
5-   Who started the fire in the lab? I know ----
6-   What is that girl's name?  Can you tell me ------
7. Where is the post office? Do you know ---------
8-   How often does the group perform during the year? I don't know ------
9-   Why did Mark leave? I don't know ------ 
10-   What is the teacher talking about? I don't know ------ 
11-   How much does this book cost? I don't know ------ 
12-   How citizens voted in the last election ? I don't know ------ 
13-   Who was the interpreter for the Japanese leader? I wonder ------ 
14-   Where can I buy a good mobile phone? I don't know ------ 
15-  What happened at the student body meeting? I want to know ------ 

Exercise 5
Noun Clauses which begin with whether/if. Change the questions to a noun clause.

1. "Is this the train to San Francisco?"

He is asking me if this is the train to San Franciso.
2. "Is this the 'bullet train'?"
I really don't know.........................................................................................
3. "Does this train arrive in San Francisco at noon?" 
Could you tell me ................................................  in San Francisco at noon?
4. "Am I able to buy a round-trip ticket?" 
Do you know................................................................................................
5. "May I sit with you?" 
She asked me................................................................................................
6. "Is there a special fare for students?"  
Do you know ............................................................................for students?
7. "Do you prefer taking the train?"   
Do you mind telling me..................................................................................
8. "Is there a seat reserved for handicapped people?"   
Can you tell me ..............................................reserved for handicapped people?
9. Is the lab attendance mandatory?

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 Do you know …………………………………………………………………………………………….?
10. Does Dr Chen practice acupuncture?
Can you tell me ………………………………………………………………………………………..?

C. Speaking:
Comparing & Contrasting Things
Exercise 1
Read the following dialogue about making comparisons.

Guest: Which sarong looks better- the blue one or the red one?
Staff: I think the blue one suits you better.
Guest: Which hotel is the best place to stay at in Bogor?
Staff: I think Santika Hotel and Spa is better. It’s a little more expensive, but it’s closer to the mall
and the facilities and accommodations are much nicer.
Guest: Which do you think is the most convenient form of transportation in Bogor- “Angkot” or
taxis?
Staff: Well, Angkot is much easier to find and is a lot cheaper, but taxis are air conditioned.
Guest: Where’s the best place to go to listen to live music in Bogor?
Staff: Well that depends on your taste in music. If you like Jazz and the Blues then the Saxophone
Pub and restaurant is the place to go. If you prefer mellower piano music, then Rico’s Piano
Bar may be better.
Guest: Which mall is the best place to buy clothes- Botani Square or Bogor Junction?
Staff: In my opinion, Bogor Junction has more variety and better quality clothes than Botani
Square.
Practice using the above expressions by having a dialogue similar to the ones above with a partner,
one partner taking the role of the guest and the other the role of the staff. Practice the dialogue
several times, trying to use all of the expressions noted above.
Exercise 2
Read another dialogue in making comparison.
Jasper: In your opinion, where do you think is the best place to go on a vacation?
Randy: Hawaii, without a doubt.
Jasper: Why Hawaii?
Randy: Because it has the most beautiful beaches.
Jasper: That may be true, but it is also one of the most expensive places to vacation. It also gets a lot
of rain.
Randy: What place do you think is best?
Jasper: Miami. Miami also has some great beaches and gets much less rain than Hawaii,
and it is less expensive.
Randy: True, but Hawaii has better golf courses and they are cheaper than the golf courses in Miami.
I wouldn’t say they are better, they are just more difficult to play.
Jasper: What about the setting? Hawaii is a tropical island with more lush vegetation than Miami, not
to mention the most amazing sunsets anywhere.
Randy: Maybe, but it takes less time to get to Miami than Hawaii. I can be on the beach soaking in

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the sun while you’re still in the airplane.
Jasper: Maybe, but once I get there I would have cleaner, fresher air to breath, unlike Miami, which
has a little too much smog if you ask me. And the streets are safer to walk on in Hawaii.
Randy: I’ll admit that’s true. Miami does have a higher crime rate.
Jasper: So where are you going on vacation this year?
Randy: Alaska. I want to see a polar bear.

a. Pair Work- discussion

What is your favorite vacation spot? Tell your partner about it using some of the ideas  for
discussion below. Your partner should ask questions to get more information.
where is it, how often have you been there, why do you like it
why is it better than other places
b. Pair work- discussion

Which things are better? Discuss and compare the following items, stating the  advantages of one
over the other, using comparatives and superlatives. The notes in parentheses are possible ideas
for comparison. Feel free to add to the list.

o Buying a house or apartment

(price, spaciousness, maintenance, convenience, parking, safety)
o Traveling by bus or train (price, comfort, speed, the view, people you meet, services)
o Family cars or sports cars
(price, number of passengers, speed, appearance, gas mileage, maintenance)
o Jogging or bike riding for exercise (health benefits, exertion required, calories
burned, cost)
o Watching baseball or basketball on TV (level of excitement, speed of the game)
o Samsung versus Vivo Mobile phones (price, quality, camera, types, etc)
o ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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