Comparison and contrast

Task 1. Study the vocabulary below and learn the vocabulary units that you have been unfamiliar with.

A. Talking about similarity

key word	collocation	meaning
affinity	I often feel there is a cultural affinity between London and New York. I felt an affinity with the writer as I read this novel.	closeness; feeling that different things/people have much in common
akin	Their music is more akin to that of the Beatles than to the Spice Girls.	similar in spirit/feel
analogy	To use a sporting analogy, middle-age is like half-time at a football match.	see similarities that help us understand something
correspond	The picture this news article paints does not correspond to the truth.	is not equal to/does not match
equate	It's a mistake to equate the price of something with its true value.	consider as the same
tantamount	She knew that to apologise would be tantamount to admitting she had failed.	the equivalent of (normally used in negative contexts)
interchangeable	The goals of the two sides in the war have become almost interchangeable.	so similar that they could be exchanged one for the other
indistinguishable	Mrs Burton's shop was indistinguishable from all the others in the street.	so similar you cannot see the difference

B. Talking about difference: adjectives with di-

adjective	contexts/comments	example
diverse	used of different types of something	The diverse ethnic groups living in Malaysia give the country its cultural richness.
disparate	used of different types within a group, but emphasises separation and difference	The disparate regions of Spain all have unique customs and cultures.
dissimilar	very often used with not	This house is not dissimilar to the one I was born in.
divergent	often used of contrasting opinions or ideas	They have widely divergent opinions.
distinct	used to describe differences where one might be deceived by similarities	The Swedish and Norwegian languages are quite distinct from one another, even though they look similar when written.
discrete	different and separate, not overlapping	There are several discrete categories of verbs in English.

Task 2. One of these words is followed by a different preposition from the rest. Which word is it and which preposition does it need?

akin correspond dissimilar distinct tantamount

Now use the words above and their prepositions in these sentences.

1. The state of Maine in the USA is not...................................................parts of Scandinavia. They both have lakes and forests.

2. To pretend I didn't want to be with her would be...................................................telling a lie.

3. What you say...................................................what I've heard too. I am sure it's correct.

4. His life story is more...................................................a novel by Charles Dickens than a James Bond film.

5. The culture of the north of the country is quite...................................................that of the south, and it's a mistake to think they are the same.

Task 3. Fill in the missing words.

1. There is a close affinity...................................Singapore...................................Hong Kong: both are crowded, vibrant cities existing in a confined space.

2. I just cannot feel any affinity...................................his poetry; it's too dark and cruel.

3. This version of her essay is indistinguishable...................................the first version. I can't see any changes.

4. It would be a great mistake to equate his shyness...................................coldness or unfriendliness.

Task 4. How many words can you remember from B which begin with di- and which refer to differences? Can you complete the list?

1. disp..........................

2. div..........................

3. diss..........................

4. dist..........................

5. div..........................

6. disc..........................

Task 5. Circle the more suitable alternative. Each word should be used only once.

1. Japanese and Korean cultures are quite diverse/distinct, even though, to the outsider, they often appear similar.

2. The way they weave carpets in this region is not dissimilar/divergent to the way they are made in neighbouring countries.

3. English verbs do not always fit very easily into dissimilar/discrete categories. For instance, is the verb used to an ordinary verb or a modal verb like would?

4. Seen from the widely disparate/divergent viewpoints of left and right, the problem either originates in too much freedom or in too much state control.

5. It would be very difficult to unite the disparate/discrete tribes and ethnic groups to form one coherent political force.

6. Her CD collection contains quite a divergent/diverse selection of music, with everything from classical to heavy metal.

Appendix 7.