DEVELOPMENT BY COMPARISON.

      
     When you are developing a paragraph by comparison, you are saying how two (or more) things are the same.  It is therefore necessary to use short sentences, as the most important quality of these paragraphs is simple clarity.  Do not “show off” with long and complex sentences here. 
 
     There are many, many things that you can compare–that is, show how they are similar.  There are also many comparisons that you can make between two things.  Choose the most elementary and simple ones, so as to keep the paragraph-writing process under control. 
     In this example paragraph, we will discuss the similarities between bread (mian bao) and cooked rice (mi fan). 
 
 
Development by:    Comparison. 
Written by:    SVW. 
Topic:    The similarities between bread and cooked rice. 
Title:    “How bread and cooked rice are similar.” 
Brainstorming:    Cooked–tasty–cheap–grains–popular–have starch–many recipes–give strength–“main food” (staple)–fill your stomach–much processing. 
 
 
     There are many similarities here, and you must choose the five most important.  You can choose your own.  Remember, do the “body” part of the plan first, then do the TS and the CS afterwards. 
 
Plan outline:   
     [TS]    Although, similarities. 
     [S1]    Cheap. 
     [S2]    Popular. 
     [S3]    Have starch. 
     [S4]    Fill your stomach. 
     [S5]    Much processing. 
     [CS]    Others, main. 
 
Paragraph Text:  
     [TS]    Although bread and cooked rice appear to be very different, they actually have many things in common. 
     [S1]    Both are very cheap. 
     [S2]    Bread and rice are very popular among the people, especially those with big families and small incomes. 
     [S3]    Both of these foods have high starch levels; they are “carbohydrate foods”. 
     [S4]    They fill a person’s stomach very easily, and keep away hunger for several hours. 
     [S5]    Both bread and cooked rice require a lot of processing, the work of many people; there are many food-processing stages, from “grain” to “finished product”. 
     [CS]    There are other similarities, but these are the main ones. 
 
     Remember to choose five “similarities” which are simple; this is even more important when you are dealing with abstract and philosophical topics.  For example, how would you compare the “doctrines” of “san ge dai biao” with “ba rong, ba chi”?  No problem!  Just look for the most “concrete” ideas, and focus on them. 
 
     For each of these paragraphs, I have given one or two examples.  I suggest that you try out these paragraphs, either alone or with your friends, and get some practice.  Use your classroom blackboard, or share some paper on a table.