One question across two books

English · Reading Comprehension · ages 17-18

Name ______________________ Date ____________

What counts as a real comparative paragraph?
- One point, both texts, a verdict
- Two summaries with a gap between
- A long quote with no comment
What should both texts answer in a comparison?
- One shared question, framed first
- Different questions you invent later
- Nothing, because summaries are enough
Writing about each text in turn counts as comparing them.
Circle one: True False
Text A argues with statistics, text B with personal stories. How do you judge them?
- Count which text is longer
- Judge fit to the question
- Pick the one you read first
How should you line the two texts up for judging?
- Split each one a different way
- Split both by the same parts
- Never split them at all
A true difference that says nothing about the question should stay in the essay.
Circle one: True False
An essay lists five differences but never says which text answers the question better. What is missing?
- A longer bibliography
- A ranking verdict
- Fancier vocabulary
Your question asks which text persuades better. Text A wins on evidence, text B on tone. What is the verdict?
- Text A wins everything automatically
- Nobody wins because ties are banned
- Split the wins, then weigh them

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

One point, both texts, a verdict · Point, both texts, verdict: that is the unit.
One shared question, framed first · One shared question forces the texts into a real contest.
False · Comparison moves between texts inside paragraphs instead.
Judge fit to the question · Methods serve the question, so fit decides.
Split both by the same parts · Matching parts make fair judging possible.
False · It fills space but proves nothing, so cut it.
A ranking verdict · Differences prove nothing until a verdict ranks them.
Split the wins, then weigh them · A text can win one part and lose another, and markers want to see it.