1. during the winter months now vs. during the winter months in the past
2. during the winter months, more people frequented public places such as libraries and community centers and, on the average, spent considerably longer periods in them....
3. people spend longer periods in "them" now
I thought it was referring to the winter months now, and the winter months in the past.
Q4:
1. sophisticated instruments vs. currently available instruments
2. Detecting planets outside our solar system requires (which is higher)
3. sophisticated instruments
This comparison makes the most sense to me. Would this work?
I'm really struggling with when information should be included in the A v B vs when it should be included in the quality or characteristic being compared. Why was it Winter Months v The Months Before the Winter Months but not One Nation vs Any Other Nation? I'm really trying hard to get it, but I haven't landed on why or how I can tell yet.
@Sunnieqw22 This is what I put, I don't know if it's right or not but I think since this is an inferred comparison it's okay if what you pull isn't precisely what the example pulls
Step 1: Detecting planets outside our solar system vs. detecting planets inside our solar system
Step 2: Which one requires more sophisticated instruments than are currently available?
Step 3: detecting planets outside our solar system
I don't see how my answer is necessarily wrong. Question 2 in Comparative Skill Builder 1, where we had to imply the term "glacial", is what led me to imply "detecting planets inside our solar system" for this question. I hope that made sense
@ryokace I think in a sense it is that. From my understanding I was thinking the same thing, but their answer appears to be more detailed. I think in understanding though, it is a similar idea. I think, don't quote me.
@ryokace "more sophisticated instruments" vs instruments currently available implies that the instruments currently available are not "more" sophisticated to win the comparison. As long as you understand the argument and comparison being made and the winner, you are correct.
ahhh number 1 got to me. The previous skill builder comparative question that dealt with a implied comparison between "what they were accustom to" and the implied "now" made me think that the comparison for number 1 was of similar usage. I was thinking "previously" compared to "now" not realizing that the "previously" is reference to the "winter months" instead implying "the months before winter months."
@BarbWoodward I had the same issues with question 3 and 4 too and I got the winner right in both, but my wording was off a little. I've found my wording not as specific. Although I've still considered my answers correct, since I agree and understand the video explanation.
@ArmaniHunter05 I don't think so because question 1 doesn't have any indicator words to show its talking about the current winter months or winter months this year. "Previously" is vague and without that indicator word to tell us that were comparing current winter months and past winter months, the only other assumption we can make is during non winter months, people frequented those places for less and for less time
Not sure if this will help anyone, but the way I like to think of these is as a "battle", and you have to determine "the competition", or who you are fighting against. For example in Q3:
It is our nation vs the other nations - therefore you have to find the subject and what it is being tested against. Here, our nation would be tested against others. Well, how will the nation do that?
Simply; with a retaliatory force greater than other nations.
Not sure if this makes sense to others but I applied it to all the questions here, but the analogy works better when you talk about war and nation-states. Lol
For #3, why is "the winner" a retaliatory force maintained by one nation? I interpreted this statement as a hypothetical requirement for a nation or other nations to achieve maximum deterrence. I don't know that "a nation" has a greater force than other nations neccesarily.
@KP355 I think that the key is not getting so stuck in the literal content of the statement and rather just focusing on the mechanical formula of the quiz so that you can interpret it as they are arguing it, not yet evaluate its actual merit- the key is to understand their argument and what they are saying
I 100% understood question 3 but it was very difficult to word this comparison using the 3 step process. I had the same issue with number 4 but my interpretation of this comparison aligned more with the second comparison.
so with comparison statements that depend on "required" it seems like its better to ignore whatever comes before what's "required" and first focus in on the "A than B" portion of the statement. Would it be fair to say that " blah blah required" is likely going to contain the quality or trait that is being compared?
I don't know about others, but negative comparisons are tough for me so I like to think about it like this:
Artists are no less politically insightful than non-artists.
Acknowledge there could be a tie
Switch out "no less" with "more"
Then you know artists COULD be the winner
I don't know why I just have a hard time identifying who the winner could be and if they are on the "more" or "less" side. Not sure if this makes sense to other people but wanted to put it here to see if it might help someone. :)
@OliviaPare because you're using the quality as the object of comparison. You're trying to figure out which instruments are more sophisticated. There is no quality in 'can detect planets outside our solar system' (the quality being less or more). The quality is found in 'more sophisticated', so you have to compare two objects to figure out which one wins the 'more sophisticated' contest.
@jhlaier Using numbers from the instructions: Detecting planets outside our solar system requires 2.(more sophisticated) 1.3.(instruments) than 1.(are currently available.)
@OliviaPare I also had the same analysis as you! It doesn't make sense to me that it is comparing which is more sophisticated, because that is already a stated fact--the currently available instruments are less sophisticated (otherwise more sophisticated instruments wouldn't even be possible). I would love an instructor to weigh in on our thoughts!
The first question is tripping me out. How do we know that the passage is referring to the months before winter months? When it says “than they had previously” doesn’t that refer to previously as in previous winter months?
I put: Public places now vs public places in previous winter months
@CecileJudy Here's what I understand: I think if we had been comparing previous winter months, it probably would have referred to a year or explicitly said "previous winter months". Comparing public places "now" doesn't make as much sense to me, as the question appears to be comparing things in the past. If it had been comparing present public places vs. winter public places, the sentence may have been worded something like "The town has noted that currently, people spend more time in public places now compared to the winter months" or something. This is just using the logic I've accumulated through the course (and my understanding may be totally skewed), if it doesn't make sense I apologize!
@CecileJudy I don't think it matters if you compare the winter months vs previous months or winter months vs previous winter months. It's ambiguous exactly the months the argument is referring to. What is important is that you understand they're comparing the winter months against a time period before the winter months. So using now is inaccurate as we're comparing two time periods in the past.
More people frequented public places during A time than they did during the previous B time.
Thing being compared: maintain a retaliatory force greater than that of any other nation vs. maintain a retaliatory force equal to or less than that of any other nation.
Quality compared: How to maintain maximum deterrence from aggression by other nations?
Winner: maintain a retaliatory force greater than that of any other nation.
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106 comments
Hi! This is what I did for Q1 & Q4.
Q1:
1. during the winter months now vs. during the winter months in the past
2. during the winter months, more people frequented public places such as libraries and community centers and, on the average, spent considerably longer periods in them....
3. people spend longer periods in "them" now
I thought it was referring to the winter months now, and the winter months in the past.
Q4:
1. sophisticated instruments vs. currently available instruments
2. Detecting planets outside our solar system requires (which is higher)
3. sophisticated instruments
This comparison makes the most sense to me. Would this work?
can #3 be thought of in this way?
nation that has retaliatory force vs nation that has a greater retaliatory force
which maintains maximum deterrence from aggression by other nations
nation that has a greater retaliatory force
I'm really struggling with when information should be included in the A v B vs when it should be included in the quality or characteristic being compared. Why was it Winter Months v The Months Before the Winter Months but not One Nation vs Any Other Nation? I'm really trying hard to get it, but I haven't landed on why or how I can tell yet.
I see what you did there for #5.
A v. B: more sophisticated instruments v. currently available instruments
Quality - which is required for detecting planets outside our solar system?
Winner - more sophisticated instruments
Could this work?
@Sunnieqw22 This is what I put, I don't know if it's right or not but I think since this is an inferred comparison it's okay if what you pull isn't precisely what the example pulls
@Sunnieqw22 That's exactly what I did and this makes the most sense to me!
#4 cooked me. This is what I put:
Step 1: Detecting planets outside our solar system vs. detecting planets inside our solar system
Step 2: Which one requires more sophisticated instruments than are currently available?
Step 3: detecting planets outside our solar system
I don't see how my answer is necessarily wrong. Question 2 in Comparative Skill Builder 1, where we had to imply the term "glacial", is what led me to imply "detecting planets inside our solar system" for this question. I hope that made sense
Got 4/5! Q1 tripped me up. I couldn't tell whether the a vs b was the spaces or the times spent there
For question 4 I'm still confused on how the winner is not "more sophisticated instruments"
@ryokace I think in a sense it is that. From my understanding I was thinking the same thing, but their answer appears to be more detailed. I think in understanding though, it is a similar idea. I think, don't quote me.
@ryokace "more sophisticated instruments" vs instruments currently available implies that the instruments currently available are not "more" sophisticated to win the comparison. As long as you understand the argument and comparison being made and the winner, you are correct.
ahhh number 1 got to me. The previous skill builder comparative question that dealt with a implied comparison between "what they were accustom to" and the implied "now" made me think that the comparison for number 1 was of similar usage. I was thinking "previously" compared to "now" not realizing that the "previously" is reference to the "winter months" instead implying "the months before winter months."
@DouglasNeumeyer thank you for this explanation, I was confused as well
my brain hurts after all of these skill builders
Is someone able to better explain 3 and 4? I have been doing so well with comparatives, but these have really confused me.
This is how I responded to number 3, which makes the most sense to me, but it is not the same as the answer:
1. retaliatory force equal or less than any other nation vs retaliatory force greater than any other nation
2. which allows for maintaining maximum deterrence from aggression
3. have a retaliatory force greater than any other nation
@BarbWoodward I had the same issues with question 3 and 4 too and I got the winner right in both, but my wording was off a little. I've found my wording not as specific. Although I've still considered my answers correct, since I agree and understand the video explanation.
For questions 1, could the conclusion be...
What's Being Compared:Time spent in public spaces in Winter months now vs time spent in public spaces during previous Winter months.
How's it being compared: Which months did people spend longer periods of time in public spaces.
Winner: Winter Months now
@ArmaniHunter05 this is how I interpreted it but I'm still not sure if its correct or not
@ArmaniHunter05 I don't think so because question 1 doesn't have any indicator words to show its talking about the current winter months or winter months this year. "Previously" is vague and without that indicator word to tell us that were comparing current winter months and past winter months, the only other assumption we can make is during non winter months, people frequented those places for less and for less time
Not sure if this will help anyone, but the way I like to think of these is as a "battle", and you have to determine "the competition", or who you are fighting against. For example in Q3:
It is our nation vs the other nations - therefore you have to find the subject and what it is being tested against. Here, our nation would be tested against others. Well, how will the nation do that?
Simply; with a retaliatory force greater than other nations.
Not sure if this makes sense to others but I applied it to all the questions here, but the analogy works better when you talk about war and nation-states. Lol
For #3, why is "the winner" a retaliatory force maintained by one nation? I interpreted this statement as a hypothetical requirement for a nation or other nations to achieve maximum deterrence. I don't know that "a nation" has a greater force than other nations neccesarily.
@KP355 I think that the key is not getting so stuck in the literal content of the statement and rather just focusing on the mechanical formula of the quiz so that you can interpret it as they are arguing it, not yet evaluate its actual merit- the key is to understand their argument and what they are saying
murica vs shitty nation had me dying ngl
@ShantiJean-Louis 😬
I 100% understood question 3 but it was very difficult to word this comparison using the 3 step process. I had the same issue with number 4 but my interpretation of this comparison aligned more with the second comparison.
finally 5/5 after a 4/5 streak :)
so with comparison statements that depend on "required" it seems like its better to ignore whatever comes before what's "required" and first focus in on the "A than B" portion of the statement. Would it be fair to say that " blah blah required" is likely going to contain the quality or trait that is being compared?
I don't know about others, but negative comparisons are tough for me so I like to think about it like this:
Artists are no less politically insightful than non-artists.
Acknowledge there could be a tie
Switch out "no less" with "more"
Then you know artists COULD be the winner
I don't know why I just have a hard time identifying who the winner could be and if they are on the "more" or "less" side. Not sure if this makes sense to other people but wanted to put it here to see if it might help someone. :)
Why does this not work for number 4?
1. current instruments vs more sophisticated instruments
2. which can detect planets outside our solar system?
3. more sophisticated instruments
@OliviaPare This is what I had thought as well.
@OliviaPare because you're using the quality as the object of comparison. You're trying to figure out which instruments are more sophisticated. There is no quality in 'can detect planets outside our solar system' (the quality being less or more). The quality is found in 'more sophisticated', so you have to compare two objects to figure out which one wins the 'more sophisticated' contest.
@jhlaier Using numbers from the instructions: Detecting planets outside our solar system requires 2.(more sophisticated) 1.3.(instruments) than 1.(are currently available.)
@OliviaPare I also had the same analysis as you! It doesn't make sense to me that it is comparing which is more sophisticated, because that is already a stated fact--the currently available instruments are less sophisticated (otherwise more sophisticated instruments wouldn't even be possible). I would love an instructor to weigh in on our thoughts!
im getting it now :)
#3 finally clicked for me omg its been 30 minutes YESSS
@CecileJudy Thats amazing!!!! Lets goo
it also took a good amount of time for me to get this right
The first question is tripping me out. How do we know that the passage is referring to the months before winter months? When it says “than they had previously” doesn’t that refer to previously as in previous winter months?
I put: Public places now vs public places in previous winter months
Which did more people frequent on average?
Public places now
Help?
@CecileJudy I thought the same way. Have you figured it out?
@FriendlyObligingState @CecileJudy Im in that same boat :/
@CecileJudy Here's what I understand: I think if we had been comparing previous winter months, it probably would have referred to a year or explicitly said "previous winter months". Comparing public places "now" doesn't make as much sense to me, as the question appears to be comparing things in the past. If it had been comparing present public places vs. winter public places, the sentence may have been worded something like "The town has noted that currently, people spend more time in public places now compared to the winter months" or something. This is just using the logic I've accumulated through the course (and my understanding may be totally skewed), if it doesn't make sense I apologize!
@CecileJudy I don't think it matters if you compare the winter months vs previous months or winter months vs previous winter months. It's ambiguous exactly the months the argument is referring to. What is important is that you understand they're comparing the winter months against a time period before the winter months. So using now is inaccurate as we're comparing two time periods in the past.
More people frequented public places during A time than they did during the previous B time.
A time vs B time
More people frequented public places
A wins
For Question 3, I interpreted it as:
Thing being compared: maintain a retaliatory force greater than that of any other nation vs. maintain a retaliatory force equal to or less than that of any other nation.
Quality compared: How to maintain maximum deterrence from aggression by other nations?
Winner: maintain a retaliatory force greater than that of any other nation.
Can anyone explain why this is incorrect?
@Veronic you are comparing the same thing (any other nations v. any other nations)
for #3 a nation v. any other (this is what is being compared)
what is being measured, is how to maintain a retaliatory force?
and what is maintaining a retaliatory force good for? to maximize deterrence from aggression from other nations
so if you maintain retaliatory force you are the winner, so the nation is the winner
hope this helps