Lab Activity 31: The Comparison-and-Contrast Pattern

Chapter 7: More Thought Patterns
Lab Activity 31: The Comparison-and-Contrast Pattern

Objective
To use transitions and the comparison-and-contrast pattern to identify the details and main idea in a paragraph.

Step 2: Read in turn the two selections from a college communication textbook, then answer the questions that follow each one.

7. Cultures vary widely in their responses to physical and verbal abuse. In some Asian and Hispanic cultures, for example, the fear of losing face or embarrassing the family is so great that people prefer not to report or reveal abuses. When looking over statistics, it may at first appear that little violence occurs in the families of certain cultures. Yet we know from research that wife beating is quite common in India, Taiwan, and Iran, for example. In much of the United States, and in many other cultures as well, such abuse would not be tolerated no matter who was embarrassed or insulted.

—DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book, 10th ed., p. 313

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

a. Cultures vary widely in their responses to physical and verbal abuse.

b. In some Asian and Hispanic cultures, for example, the fear of losing face or embarrassing the family is so great that people prefer not to report or reveal abuses.

c. When looking over statistics, it may at first appear that little violence occurs in the families of certain cultures.

d. Yet we know from research that wife beating is quite common in India, Taiwan, and Iran, for example.

8. What contrast transition word is used to show differing views of abuse in various countries?

a. for example

b. first

c. Yet

d. as well

9. Each culture seems to teach its members different views of conflict strategies. In one study, African American females were found to use more direct controlling strategies (for example, assuming control over the conflict and arguing persistently for their point of view) than did white females. White females, on the other hand, used more solution-oriented conflict styles than did African American females. African American and white men were similar in their conflict strategies; both avoided or withdrew from relationship conflict, preferring to keep quiet about their differences or make them seem insignificant. Another example of this cultural influence on conflict is seen in the tendency of collectivist cultures to avoid conflict more than members of individualist cultures.

—DeVito, The Interpersonal Communication Book, 10th ed. p. 313

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

a. Each culture seems to teach its members different views of conflict strategies.

b. In one study, African American females were found to use more direct controlling strategies (for example, assuming control over the conflict and arguing persistently for their point of view) than did white females.

c. White females, on the other hand, used more solution-oriented conflict styles than did African American females.

d. Another example of this cultural influence on conflict is seen in the tendency of collectivist cultures to avoid conflict more than members of individualist cultures.

10. Of all the signal words used in this selection, which does not indicate comparison or contrast?

a. different

b. for example

c. on the other hand

d. more than