CAMBRIDGE
ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED
UNIT 68
Spot the difference: making comparisons
A
|
Talking about similarity
collocation
|
meaning
|
I often feel there is a
cultural affinity between London and New York. I felt an
affinity with the writer as I read this novel.
|
closeness, similarity; feeling that different
things/people have much in common
|
Her singing is more akin to
that of Rihanna than Adele.
|
similar in spirit/feel
|
To use a sporting analogy,
middle age is like half-time at a football match.
|
see similarities that help us understand something
|
The picture this news article
paints does not correspond to the truth.
|
is not equal to / does not match
|
It’s a mistake to equate
the price of something with its true value.
|
consider as the same
|
She knew that to apologise
would be tantamount to admitting she had failed.
|
the equivalent of (normally used in negative contexts)
|
The goals of the two sides in
the war have become almost interchangeable.
|
so similar that they could be exchanged one for the
other
|
Mrs Burton’s house was indistinguishable
from all the others in the street.
|
so similar you cannot see the difference
|
|
B
|
Talking
about difference: adjectives beginning with di
example
|
contexts/comments
|
The diverse ethnic
groups living in Malaysia give the country its cultural richness.
|
used to show a group is made up of different types of
something
|
The disparate regions
of Spain all have unique customs and cultures.
|
used for different types within a group, but emphasises
separation and difference
|
This house is not dissimilar
to the one I was born in.
|
very often used with no
|
They have widely divergent
opinions.
|
often used to show contrasting opinions or ideas within
a group
|
The Swedish and Norwegian
languages are quite distinct from one another, even though they look
similar when written.
|
used to describe differences where one might be deceived
by similarities
|
It’s easy to find our car in a
car park because of its distinctive colour.
|
used to describe something that is easy to recognise
because it is different
|
There are several discrete
categories of verbs in English.
|
different and separate, not overlapping
|
Note
the verbs associated with some of the adjectives above: to differentiate [to
find a difference between], to diversify [to become or make more
varied], to diverge [to move away, become more different from
something], to distinguish [to notice the difference between two
things].
Language
help
Comparable
(to) means similar in some way
to something else, e.g. The two girls are a comparable size. [about
the same size]
Comparative
means when comparing different
things. These collocations are common: comparative silence/freedom/comfort.
|
EXERCISES
68.1
|
One
of these words is followed by a different preposition from the rest. Which
word is it and which preposition does it need?
akin
|
correspond
|
dissimilar
|
distinct
|
tantamount
|
Now
use the words above and their prepositions in these sentences.
1
The state of Maine in the USA is not _________ parts of Scandinavia. They
both have lakes and forests.
2
To pretend I didn’t want to be with her would be _________ telling a lie.
3
What you say _________ what I’ve heard too. I’m sure it’s correct.
4
His life story is more _________ a novel by Charles Dickens than a James
Bond film.
5
The culture of the north of the country is quite _________ that of the
south, and it’s a mistake to think they are the same.
|
|
68.2
|
Fill
in the missing words.
1 There is a close affinity _________
Singapore _________ Hong Kong; both are crowded, vibrant cities existing in
a confined space.
2
I just cannot feel any affinity _________ his poetry; it’s too dark and
cruel.
3
This version of her essay is indistinguishable _________ the first version.
I can’t see any changes.
4
It would be a great mistake to equate his shyness _________ coldness or
unfriendliness.
5
His ideas are not that dissimilar _________ mine.
6
The temperatures in Moscow are currently comparable_________ those in New
York
|
|
68.3
|
Choose
the appropriate word in these sentences.
1
Spanish and Portuguese cultures are quite diverse / distinct,
even though, to the outsider, they may sometimes appear similar.
2
The way they weave carpets in this region is not dissimilar / divergent
to the way they are made in neighbouring countries.
3
English verbs do not always fit very easily into distinctive / discrete
categories. For instance, is the verb used to an ordinary verb
or a modal verb like would?
4
Seen from the widely disparate / divergent viewpoints of left
and right, the problem either originates in too much freedom or in too much
state control.
5
It would be very difficult to unite the disparate / discrete tribes
and ethnic groups to form one coherent political force.
6
Her CD collection contains quite a divergent / diverse selection
of music, with everything from classical to heavy metal.
7
The two suits I liked are a comparable / comparative price.
8
We walked part of the way home together and then our paths differentiated
/ diverged.
9
As he’d been to a boarding school, John loved the comparable / comparative
freedom he had at university.
10
The business used only to make bicycles, but they’ve now diversified /
distinguished into a range of other cycling products.
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ANSWER KEY
68.1
Distinct
is followed by from. All the others are followed by to.
1 dissimilar to
2 tantamount to
3 corresponds to
4 akin to
5 distinct from
68.2
1
between, and
2 with
3 from
4 with
5 to
6 with
68.3
1
distinct
2 dissimilar
3 discrete
4 divergent
5 disparate
6 diverse
7 comparable
8 diverged
9 comparative
10 diversified
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