Text Structure - Problem/Solution vs. Compare/Contrast

Crocodiles and alligators look very much alike, but there are ways to tell them apart. The crocodile has a pointy snout, while the alligator’s snout is rounder. The crocodile weighs less than the alligator and can move faster. Both animals have an extra-long lower tooth. When the crocodile’s mouth is closed, you can see this long tooth. However, when the alligator’s mouth is closed, the tooth is hidden inside the mouth.

• Problem and Solution

• Compare and Contrast

At one time, Americans couldn’t get from coast to coast by train. The train tracks did not go all the way across the United States. This was a problem because it took months to travel from one side of the country to the other. Suddenly, in the early 1860s, the railroad companies decided to begin building a transcontinental railroad. This railroad would allow Americans to cross the continent in less than a week. What a better way to travel!

• Problem and Solution

• Compare and Contrast

Some scientists are worried about what will happen to people and animals if large forests and jungles in the world are destroyed. The trees and green plants in the forests and jungles produce oxygen, which is released into the atmosphere. Animals and people need this oxygen to breathe. If huge areas of green plants and trees are destroyed, there will not be enough oxygen produced to keep people and animals alive. So, what should be done? The solution must be based on what is possible. People need to restore, or fix, ruined forest lands along with protecting areas of forests that already exist. It is not a simple solution, but at least we can try.

• Problem and Solution

• Compare and Contrast

The North Pole marks the northern end of the Earth’s imaginary axis, while the South Pole marks the southern end. The North Pole is found in the Arctic Ocean. It was first reached by Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson in 1909. The South Pole is located on the continent of Antarctica, and was first reached by Roald Amundsen in 1911. The North and South Poles are the only two places in the world that receive six months of continuous daylight, followed by six months of continuous darkness.

• Problem and Solution

• Compare and Contrast