Notes on the Activity
1. The essays appear twice: first time, there is one per page. After that, they are
condensed onto 2 pages.
What I did with them:
1. T makes teams and gets team names. T reads one model essay, asking Ss to listen
carefully and write down important details (they can work together if necessary to
reconstruct a rough outline or skeleton). T then asks a couple questions. E.g. 1) What
was the first main point for similarities? 2) What additional information was provided
for the second difference? 3) Did the writer say the similarities or differences were
stronger?
First team to put hand up and answer correctly gets a point. Teams cannot answer
twice in a row without letting another team have a go, and the same team member
can't answer twice in a row.
2. Ask Ss to choose a captain (who will read), a copilot (who will watch and choose the
student who raises his hand the most quickly), a copilot (to read questions), and a
"judge" (to decide whether the answer is correct enough). Distribute a different
model essay to each group of Ss and ask them to write 2+ questions each. Then, let
the games begin.
3. Optional. Bonus question! T. (or the brightest student who would absolutely guess
correctly) reads out a bonus question worth more points so that anyone can win. T.
asks a difficult question about the passage. Best to have several questions ready in
case there is a tie (or, in case of tie, Ss write down their answers so there's no
cheating).
4. Extension: Ss write their own essay, perhaps after brainstorming some topics and
main points.
T.J. and T.J.: a brother and sister
People often say that blood is thicker than water, and so we expect that family
members will have many things in common. Tom and his sister T.J. do share some
similarities, but there are also some striking differences between them: let’s examine both
of them.
One noteworthy similarity is their interest in motorcycle riding. Both Tom and T.J.
had motorcycles when they were kids and both still enjoy riding them now. An additional
similarity is their initials, T.J.E. Tom’s full name is Thomas John Everest and T.J.’s is Terri
Josephine Everest. Their parents say neither this nor their birth date, the last similarity, was
planned: both were born on Friday the 13th, although Tom was born August 13th, 1972 and
T.J. February 13, 1970.
Despite these commonalities, there are some noteworthy differences. For example,
they live in different countries: Tom lives in Canada and T.J. in the United Arab Emirates.
Moreover, they have different occupations – the former is an engineer whilst the latter is a
teacher. Finally, they differ in marital status. The brother was married in Mexico in January
2003 whilst the sister is still single.
In conclusion, Tom and T.J. are similar and different in many ways. However, family
ties notwithstanding, it would seem the differences nevertheless outweigh the
resemblances.
Word count: 211
Emirati and Korean students
When teachers move from one country to another, they may expect that their
students will be almost exactly the same. While there will of course be some similarities,
there will also be some noteworthy differences. I will outline some of these with reference to
Emirati and Korean students.
One similarity is students’ attitude towards homework and class itself: in my
experience, neither Emirati nor Korean students particularly like homework, and they are
happy to finish class early. Both, moreover, are very family-focused: they have close
relationships with family members and it may have a higher priority than class itself, making
absence for personal reasons quite acceptable. Last, students from both countries tend to
have a good relationship with their teachers. The students are good-natured, respectful,
and agreeable.
Nevertheless, there are some conspicuous differences. A major difference is
classroom composition: most Emirati university or college classes contain either males or
females whilst the Korean ones are coeducational, although the sexes are separated in
middle and high school. In addition, the Emiratis tend to be much more vocal than their
counterparts. Koreans, who are not quite as good at speaking English, are quieter in the
classroom. Finally, they contrast in wealth: Emirati students tend to have their own cars to
drive to school whereas most Koreans commute by bus or subway.
In summary, students, however similar, also differ from country to country. In the
illustration above, perhaps we can see just as many similarities as differences.
Word count: 244
The U.A.E. now and 30 years ago
It has been said that “the only constant is change”: for the U.A.E., changes have
indeed been significant since the discovery of oil. Nevertheless, this young, new country
retains much that is old too. Below, I will outline some differences and similarities between
the U.A.E. now and 30 years ago.
One striking difference is wealth. 30 years ago, the average Emirati did not have a
car or two or a huge house. Now, however, this is commonplace. Education has also
changed: whereas three decades ago the only teaching was of the holy Qran, now teaching
from kindergarten up through university is prevalent. Last, medical facilities differ. In the
past, people relied on traditional medicine such as herbal remedies but nowadays there are
many modern public and private hospitals.
Differences notwithstanding, some similarities remain. For example, people uphold
age-old customs. Some of these include camel-racing and traditional wedding celebrations.
Additionally, clothing is still a constant. Although Emiratis occasionally wear western garb,
men usually still wear the dishdasha and women the abbaya. Finally, the religion is still the
same: people are devoted to Islam.
All in all, the U.A.E. is still the U.A.E., but it has undergone some very big changes.
Perhaps the differences are greater than the similarities.
Word count: 207
The U.A.E. and Oman
The U.A.E. and Oman are neighbouring countries in the south-east of the Arabian
peninsula. Although they understandably have much in common, they also have a number
of significant differences. Some of these similarities and differences will be outlined below.
First, the two countries share a similar history: they are both on an ancient trade
route linking India with Mesopotamia. Moreover, they share the same official religion, which
is Islam. In addition, they share the same official language, namely Arabic, although Farsi,
Hindi and Urdu are also used in the U.A.E. and Kiswahili in Oman. Finally, the landscape in
both is similar: they possess a number of offshore islands and have a varied topography
with sebkha, sand deserts, gravel plains, wadis, and mountains.
There are nonetheless noticeable differences between the two nations. A major point
is the economy: that of the U.A.E. depends largely on oil and gas whereas Oman has also
developed its agricultural sectors. Secondly, they differ in population. There are
approximately four million people in the former country, 2.5 million in the latter. Third, they
differ in size. Oman, at around 220,000 square metres, is almost three times as large as the
U.A.E. A final point is their governments: the U.A.E. has a sheikh whereas its counterpart
has a sultan as leader.
To sum up, these two countries have many characteristics in common but, too, at
least as many contrasts. Perhaps the similarities are more significant than the differences.
Word count: 241
Hotels and motels
Hotels and motels are the most common kinds of accommodation for travelers in
Canada and the U.S. Although both provide housing and variety of services, they still differ
in some respects.
Let us first look at the similarities. Both hotels and motels serve their guests in similar
ways. They usually have a restaurant and often have some recreational facilities too.
Additionally, both accept alternative methods of payment, such as cash, credit card and
occasionally even cheques. Third, their locations tend to be similar: both hotels and motels
are situated in busy areas, although hotels may be closer to city centres.
In spite of these similarities, hotels and motels are quite different. First, hotels are
generally larger than motels: the former may even have thirty floors, whilst the latter usually
has only a couple. Second, most hotels have more facilities: you can hold a wedding or
convention at a hotel but not at a motel. Last, perhaps the main difference is accessibility of
the room: in a hotel, you have to go to through a lobby to reach your room, whereas you
can drive your car up to the door of the room at a motel.
To conclude, hotels and motels provide a variety of similar services, but they also
have many different features.
Word count: 212
Camels and llamas
The letters “a”, “l”, and “m” are contained in the words “camels” and “llamas”, but do
these two different animals share any other similarities? In the following essay, I will outline
some differences as well as some similarities between the two.
First, the animals differ in appearance. Whereas camels are large and have one or
two humps on their back, llamas are small and have no humps. Moreover, they are found in
different regions of the world: the former live in the deserts of North Africa, Arabia, and
Mongolia but the latter live in South America. Last, camels are used for entertainment but
llamas typically are not: people race camels but not llamas.
Despite these differences, the two animals have much in common. First, they belong
to the same class of animals, both being hoofed, four-legged ruminants. Second, they have
similar personalities. Both can be bad-tempered – camels bite when they are angry and
llamas spit. Last, both are adapted to hot climates. The bodies of both animals retain water
well and they sweat very little in the heat.
To conclude, these beasts of burden share more than letters in their names. Still,
they also contrast significantly. Perhaps the similarities are weightier than the differences.
Word count: 204
6 compare-contrast essays
T.J. and T.J.: a brother and sister
People often say that blood is thicker than water, and so we expect that family members will
have many things in common. Tom and his sister T.J. do share some similarities, but there are also
some striking differences between them: let’s examine both of them.
One noteworthy similarity is their interest in motorcycle riding. Both Tom and T.J. had
motorcycles when they were kids and both still enjoy riding them now. An additional similarity is their
initials, T.J.E. Tom’s full name is Thomas John Everest and T.J.’s is Terri Josephine Everest. Their
parents say neither this nor their birth date, the last similarity, was planned: both were born on
Friday the 13th, although Tom was born August 13th, 1972 and T.J. February 13, 1970.
Despite these commonalities, there are some noteworthy differences. For example, they live
in different countries: Tom lives in Canada and T.J. in the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, they
have different occupations – the former is an engineer whilst the latter is a teacher. Finally, they
differ in marital status. The brother was married in Mexico in January 2003 whilst the sister is still
single.
In conclusion, Tom and T.J. are similar and different in many ways. However, family ties
notwithstanding, it would seem the differences nevertheless outweigh the resemblances.
Word count: 211
Emirati and Korean students
When teachers move from one country to another, they may expect that their students will
be almost exactly the same. While there will of course be some similarities, there will also be some
noteworthy differences. I will outline some of these with reference to Emirati and Korean students.
One similarity is students’ attitude towards homework and class itself: in my experience,
neither Emirati nor Korean students particularly like homework, and they are happy to finish class
early. Both, moreover, are very family-focused: they have close relationships with family members
and it may have a higher priority than class itself, making absence for personal reasons quite
acceptable. Last, students from both countries tend to have a good relationship with their teachers.
The students are good-natured, respectful, and agreeable.
Nevertheless, there are some conspicuous differences. A major difference is classroom
composition: most Emirati university or college classes contain either males or females whilst the
Korean ones are coeducational, although the sexes are separated in middle and high school. In
addition, the Emiratis tend to be much more vocal than their counterparts. Koreans, who are not
quite as good at speaking English, are quieter in the classroom. Finally, they contrast in wealth:
Emirati students tend to have their own cars to drive to school whereas most Koreans commute by
bus or subway.
In summary, students, however similar, also differ from country to country. In the illustration
above, perhaps we can see just as many similarities as differences.
Word count: 244
The U.A.E. now and 30 years ago
It has been said that “the only constant is change”: for the U.A.E., changes have indeed
been significant since the discovery of oil. Nevertheless, this young, new country retains much that
is old too. Below, I will outline some differences and similarities between the U.A.E. now and 30
years ago.
One striking difference is wealth. 30 years ago, the average Emirati did not have a car or two
or a huge house. Now, however, this is commonplace. Education has also changed: whereas three
decades ago the only teaching was of the holy Qran, now teaching from kindergarten up through
university is prevalent. Last, medical facilities differ. In the past, people relied on traditional medicine
such as herbal remedies but nowadays there are many modern public and private hospitals.
Differences notwithstanding, some similarities remain. For example, people uphold age-old
customs. Some of these include camel-racing and traditional wedding celebrations. Additionally,
clothing is still a constant. Although Emiratis occasionally wear western garb, men usually still wear
the dishdasha and women the abbaya. Finally, the religion is still the same: people are devoted to
Islam.
All in all, the U.A.E. is still the U.A.E., but it has undergone some very big changes. Perhaps
the differences are greater than the similarities.
Word count: 207
The U.A.E. and Oman
The U.A.E. and Oman are neighbouring countries in the south-east of the Arabian peninsula.
Although they understandably have much in common, they also have a number of significant
differences. Some of these similarities and differences will be outlined below.
First, the two countries share a similar history: they are both on an ancient trade route linking
India with Mesopotamia. Moreover, they share the same official religion, which is Islam. In addition,
they share the same official language, namely Arabic, although Farsi, Hindi and Urdu are also used
in the U.A.E. and Kiswahili in Oman. Finally, the landscape in both is similar: they possess a
number of offshore islands and have a varied topography with sebkha, sand deserts, gravel plains,
wadis, and mountains.
There are nonetheless noticeable differences between the two nations. A major point is the
economy: that of the U.A.E. depends largely on oil and gas whereas Oman has also developed its
agricultural sectors. Secondly, they differ in population. There are approximately four million people
in the former country, 2.5 million in the latter. Third, they differ in size. Oman, at around 220,000
square metres, is almost three times as large as the U.A.E. A final point is their governments: the
U.A.E. has a sheikh whereas its counterpart has a sultan as leader.
To sum up, these two countries have many characteristics in common but, too, at least as
many contrasts. Perhaps the similarities are more significant than the differences.
Word count: 241
Hotels and motels
Hotels and motels are the most common kinds of accommodation for travelers in Canada
and the U.S. Although both provide housing and variety of services, they still differ in some
respects.
Let us first look at the similarities. Both hotels and motels serve their guests in similar ways.
They usually have a restaurant and often have some recreational facilities too. Additionally, both
accept alternative methods of payment, such as cash, credit card and occasionally even cheques.
Third, their locations tend to be similar: both hotels and motels are situated in busy areas, although
hotels may be closer to city centres.
In spite of these similarities, hotels and motels are quite different. First, hotels are generally
larger than motels: the former may even have thirty floors, whilst the latter usually has only a couple.
Second, most hotels have more facilities: you can hold a wedding or convention at a hotel but not at
a motel. Last, perhaps the main difference is accessibility of the room: in a hotel, you have to go to
through a lobby to reach your room, whereas you can drive your car up to the door of the room at a
motel.
To conclude, hotels and motels provide a variety of similar services, but they also have
many different features.
Word count: 212
Camels and llamas
The letters “a”, “l”, and “m” are contained in the words “camels” and “llamas”, but do these
two different animals share any other similarities? In the following essay, I will outline some
differences as well as some similarities between the two.
First, the animals differ in appearance. Whereas camels are large and have one or two
humps on their back, llamas are small and have no humps. Moreover, they are found in different
regions of the world: the former live in the deserts of North Africa, Arabia, and Mongolia but the
latter live in South America. Last, camels are used for entertainment but llamas typically are not:
people race camels but not llamas.
Despite these differences, the two animals have much in common. First, they belong to the
same class of animals, both being hoofed, four-legged ruminants. Second, they have similar
personalities. Both can be bad-tempered – camels bite when they are angry and llamas spit. Last,
both are adapted to hot climates. The bodies of both animals retain water well and they sweat very
little in the heat.
To conclude, these beasts of burden share more than letters in their names. Still, they also
contrast significantly. Perhaps the similarities are weightier than the differences.
Word count: 204