Primis—Comparison and Contrast
The following questions deal with the Primis author's discussion of comparison and
contrast.
1) On pages 65-66, the author discusses the "two basic operations" involved in comparing
objects. Summarize the author's main points, and provide your own outline of a
comparison and contrast paper of whatever topic you wish. Your chart should be similar
to what I show below.
Subject: Gun Control
Categories of comparison:
Japan's gun control laws
America's gun control laws
Points of comparison:
Social beliefs regarding weapons
Registration of handguns, rifles, and shotguns
Penalties for crimes committed with guns
2) On pages 66-67, the author discusses "the process of developing an essay of
comparison." Summarize his main points.
3) On pages 67-69, the author discusses the "organization of an essay of comparision."
Summarize those main points. More specifically, name the ways that a comparison and
contrast paper may be organized, and explain each organizational pattern.
The following questions deal with Bruce Catton's excerpt, Grant and Lee: A Study in
Contrasts.
1) What is Catton comparing? Is he merely comparing two men?
2) Explain the purposes of Catton's first paragraph. What does it do, as all good
introductions should do?
3) Analyze Catton's organizational strategies. What comparison and contrast
organizational patterns that you explained above appear in his essay, and where?