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Unit 9 Key Expressions Compared to/with

on the other hand

(not) as much as

English Dialogue Cristofe: Alfred, Im thinking of getting a place off campus this year. Do you want to be roommates?

Alfred: Actually, I rather enjoy living in the dorms.

Cristofe: How could anyone possibly enjoy living in the dorms? Theyre noisy, tiny, and filthy!

Alfred: Well, compared to living off campus, theyre actually pretty convenient. I dont need to worry

about driving home after school and I dont have to cook.

Cristofe: Yeah, but on the other hand, its so expensive living in the dorms. Besides, you cant tell me

you enjoy sharing the bathroom with 20 other kids.

Alfred: Point taken. But if I become an R.A. this year, I get free housing! Then, my housing costs

wont be as much as yours.

Cristofe: Ah~ I gotcha. Youre going to try and do the R.A. thing. Well, I guess theres no arguing

with you then.

Alfred: Yep. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me!

Translation Cristofe: , . ? Alfred: . Cristofe: ? ! Alfred: .

. Cristofe: , . , 20 . Alfred: . , .

. Cristofe: ~ . . . Alfred: . .

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Expression / Technique Master Note -Im thinking of ~: ~ Ex) Im thinking of buying a new car.

- off campus Vs on campus

During the university life, students can have options to live either on the campus or off the campus

meaning arranging housing by student themselves. Usually the universities are offering more dormitory

places to the first-year students.

- rhetorical question: This is a question that is asked in order to produce an effect rather than to gain

information. So the speaker is not expecting to hear an answer rather the answer usually being implied in

the question.

- filthy: , *It expresses an extreme case of a dirty condition.

Ex) Your room is absolutely filthy. You need to clean or at least open the windows.

-compared to ~: ~ Ex) What youre getting now is chicken-feed compared to what you could earn in Europe.

- on the other hand: , *This expression is very widely used by native speakers when providing opposite side view to the

statement mentioned before.

Ex) I would like to travel around the world, but on the other hand I cant afford to give up my job under

current condition.

- on the one hand: Ex) On the one hand, I would prefer to go out for dinner but on the other hand, its expensive to do so.

- point taken!: . * Now this expression is used to agree or accept what then opposite speaker said.

-R.A: Resident Assistant

* This is very American English. R.A. is someone who supervises college students living in the university

accommodation. R.A. is usually older than those living in the dormitory.

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- as much as: ~, ~, ~ Ex) A: Are these free give-away products?

B: Yes, you can take as much as you like.

**SUMMARY: Comparing between two or more different conditions, products or situations is very

common technique in conversation. It is vital to use appropriate expressions to precisely state the

difference of the two.

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