10. Comparison

1. A car journey is as fast as a train journey.

2. His achievements are comparable with the best.

3. I generally find flying more interesting than going by sea.

4. If you compare wood and plastics, the latter is lighter.

5. It’s a bit slower.

6. It’s much more convenient.

7. On the whole, Jack is the cleverest.

8. By in large, its quality is the best.

9. Rupee is less valuable than diamond.

10. Your voice is incomparably more attractive than hers.

Dialogue 1

W: Um, which of them is the better typist?

M: Well, Mary types faster than Jones. But I think Jones types more carefully.

W: Is there any difference in their short hand?

M: Jones can certainly take down letter more quickly, but Mary’s short hand is the best in her class.

W: How about languages?

M: Both of them speak excellent French. But I think Mary speaks German more fluently than Jones does.

W: Um. That doesn’t really matter. Because we have more French visitors than German.

Dialogue 2

M: 15 hours overtime? That can’t be right.

W: It is. You see, I work harder than you do, George.

M: Rubbish! You don’t work harder than me. I work faster than you.

W: Well, perhaps I’m a bit slower, but I think I do my job better.

M: Ah, you don’t know anything about my work.

Dialogue 3

M: All right. But these are black and I don’t like black shoes. They’re dull.

W: Well, black is a better color than pink. Pink’s for girls.

M: Then why are you wearing black shoes?

W: Because…oh, all right. You win. Let’s pay for them and go.

M: Hey, thanks, mum.

Dialogue 4

W: I want to change my job.

M: Why?

W: Well, I want to earn more.

M: I see.

W: Not only that. The job I’m doing now is the most boring job you can imagine.

Dialogue 5

M: They’ll do the operation for you this Friday.

W: But Saturday is my birthday.

M: I think it’s important to do now. We can have a birthday party for you when you come out of the hospital.

W: But it won’t be on my birthday.

M: But your health is more important. Believe me!

Dialogue 6

W1: I’m so excited, mother. Oh, a new baby!

W2: My first grandchild.

W1: And my first nephew. He looks a lot like you, mum. He does.

W2: Do you think so? Well, I guess. He does look a lot like me. Oh, he’s got Richard’s eyes though.

W1: Yes, he does have Richard’s eyes. The baby even looks like you than Richard does.

W2: Well, children usually resemble their parents.

W1: It’s true. Michelle is a lot like Henry in so many ways. And she is shy with new people just like he is.

W2: You often like comparing children with their parents.

W1: You’re right.

My father is one of the greatest men in the world. He is as strong as an ox. He can climb the highest mountains; he can swim the widest rivers. He is as brave as a bull, too. He can ride the wildest horses and catch the most dangerous criminals. He is the best story teller in town. He knows everything. My father is as busy as a bee at work. His boss says nobody works harder than my father. At home, my father is as quiet as a mouse. My mother says my father is as stubborn as a mill. Sometimes she says he is as sloppy as a pig, too. I don’t understand what she means by that. He takes out the trash every time she tells him to.