Compare & Contrast (from flocab)

Read the following passages.

Ballet began as a social dance. That means that it started as a way for people to spend time with one another and connect, not perform for an audience. Some of the first ballet dancers were upper class French people who lived in the 1500s and who danced ballets to entertain themselves and their friends.

Salsa is a type of dance that began in New York City in the 1970s. Salsa began as a social dance. Salsa comes from some Cuban dances like the cha-cha and also uses movements from Afro-Caribbean dances. Salsa is danced to Salsa music.

According to the texts above, Ballet and Salsa dances are similar because

• they both came from Cuban dances.

• they both began as social dances.

• they are both styles of dance that began in the 1500s.

• they are both danced only by upper class French people.

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Essay prompts often ask you to compare and contrast two or more items. Before you start writing, remember to pre-write, or organize your ideas and make a plan for the essay.

Which of the following contrasts Earth and Mars?

• Mars is often called “the red planet” because the soil on mars contains rust. This dust enters Mars’ atmosphere, making the whole planet appear red.

• Mars is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. It is 88,000 feet high and is no longer active.

• A year on Mars is twice as long as a year on Earth. This means that a summer on Mars lasts twice as long as the season does on planet Earth.

• A day on both Mars and Earth lasts about 24 hours. In addition, both of their atmospheres contain carbon dioxide gas.

Read the following passage.

It’s easy to confuse plateaus, mesas and buttes because they are all similar landforms. Plateaus, mesas and buttes are all broad, high landforms with steep sides and flat tops. However, mesas are smaller than plateaus. Buttes are smaller than mesas. The largest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau. It has an area of 965,000 square miles.

In the passage above, what is the purpose of the sentence "Plateaus, mesas and buttes are all broad, high landforms with steep sides and flat tops"?

• It contrasts plateaus, mesas and buttes.

• It provides an example of how plateaus, mesas and buttes are similar.

• It explains why mesas have been studied more than plateaus.

• It gives an example of a specific plateau.

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Sometimes a writing prompt may not contain the words “compare and contrast.” However, it may still be asking you to analyze how things are similar and different.

Read the following writing prompts. Which one is most likely asking you to compare and contrast?

• Summarize the plot of the book The Life of Frederick Douglass.

• Would you rather meet Abraham Lincoln or Frederick Douglass? Why?

• Explain why Frederick Douglass’s contributions were important.

• Describe major events in the life of Thomas Jefferson.

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In a compare and contrast essay, use transition words that show similarity and contrast. These words show relationships between your ideas. They help your reader follow your logic.

Which of the following sentences uses a transition word or phrase to show contrast?

• A singer must take care of his voice in the same way that an athlete takes care of her body.

• Ultimately, it was clear that Maya broke the world record for most hot dogs eaten by a six-year-old in twenty minutes.

• The river’s water began to rise. Meanwhile, a small fire broke out at the mill and distracted the townspeople.

• African gray parrots form strong bonds with human owners unlike some other pet birds.

Compare and contrast essays can be organized in three main ways:

-Similarities-to-Differences Structure: This is when a writer describes all the similarities between two things and then describes their differences.

-Whole-to-Whole Structure: This is when a writer describes everything about one thing and then everything about the other.

-Point-to-Point Structure: This is when a writer explains one point of similarity or difference between two things and then moves on to the next point of similarity or difference.

Read the following passage.

Both goats and cows are domesticated animals. This means that they have provided food and have worked for humans for thousands of years. However, goats are much smaller than cows. A goat is about one-sixth the size of a cow, which means it is easier to move from place to place and to handle. Both goats and cows produce milk that humans can drink. But dairy goats have a longer productive life than cows. They are productive for 8-10 years, as opposed to cows, which have 4-6 years of productive life.

In the above passage, how does the author organize her argument?

• She describes all the similarities between goats and cows. Then, she describes all the differences.

• She provides all the information about goats. Then, she provides all the information about cows.

• She explains one point of similarity or difference between goats and cows. Then, she moves onto the next point of similarity or difference between them.

• She describes the history of goats becoming domesticated. Then, she describes the history of cows becoming domesticated.

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Sometimes an essay prompt may tell you what kind of conclusion to draw from your comparing and contrasting. Don’t stop after listing the similarities and differences. Be sure to come to a conclusion about the items you’ve examined.

Read the following concluding paragraph of an essay.

After studying the lyrics of Kendrick Lamar’s freestyles, the answer is clear. When an artist freestyles, or makes things up on the spot, he or she often creates art that is more exciting than a planned lyric. Freestyling allows an artist to follow his or her imagination and loosen their style. Artists reach new artistic heights. Freestyling is an important skill that makes hip-hop such a unique and creative art form.

What conclusion can the reader come to after reading this paragraph?

• Who is a better hip-hop artist: Kendrick Lamar or Lil’ Wayne?

• Do artists create better lyrics when they freestyle or when they write lyrics out and memorize them?

• Describe the history of freestyling in hip-hop.

• Explain the meaning of the term “freestyle” as it is used in hip-hop.

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Which of the following is NOT a list of contrasting word/phrases?

• however, but, neither

• and, in addition to, both

• different, however, in contrast

• on the other hand, while, although