--- title: "Compare and contrast pollution in a city" subject: "Communication English" chapter: 1 key: "semester_5/communication_english:compare-contrast-pollution-city-nepal" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/compare-contrast-pollution-city-nepal site: BCT Engineering --- # Compare and contrast pollution in a city Communication English · Chapter 1: Intensive Reading - Asked in: year not given, 5 marks - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/compare-contrast-pollution-city-nepal - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/communication_english/chapter-1 ## Question After reading the following paragraph, compare and contrast the pollution of a city in Nepal. The means of transportation also added greatly to air and noise pollution. Steam engines, buses and other vehicles exhaust so much smoke that life in the industrial city and town has become a victim of incurable diseases. Pure air has become a thing of past. The noise of machinery along with that of the motors, scooters and buses etc. have brought deafness to millions of people. Their normal hearing scale has suffered badly. ## Short answer In a Nepali city like Kathmandu, transportation and industry cause both air and noise pollution. Air pollution is visible smoke and haze causing respiratory illness, while noise pollution is invisible but leads to hearing loss. Both share similar causes and require strict vehicle and industry controls. ## Answer The paragraph names two forms of pollution, air pollution and noise pollution, and says that transport adds greatly to both. Taking Kathmandu as the example, their similarities and differences are as follows. #### Similarities - Both come mainly from vehicles, machinery, factories and construction, which increase with urban growth. - Both harm health: smoke causes lung and heart diseases, and noise causes deafness and stress. - Both are worst in crowded, industrial areas, such as Kathmandu Valley's busy roads and brick kilns. - Both can be reduced by laws, better planning and public awareness. #### Differences | Point | Air pollution | Noise pollution | |---|---|---| | Source in Kathmandu | Vehicle smoke, dust, brick kilns, burning waste | Horns, engines, machines, loudspeakers | | Visibility | Visible as smoke and haze | Invisible, only heard | | Health effect | Respiratory disease, eye irritation, "incurable diseases" | Deafness, loss of normal hearing, irritability | | Spread | Travels far with wind and stays in the valley | Local and falls quickly with distance | | Control | Emission tests, clean fuels, electric vehicles, green cover | Horn bans, silent zones, sound barriers | #### Contrast with the past or with villages In the past, and in villages, the air was pure and sounds were natural. Today, as the paragraph says, "pure air has become a thing of the past" in towns, and people's normal hearing has suffered. **Conclusion:** Air and noise pollution share causes and both harm people's health, but air pollution is visible and widespread, while noise is local and damages hearing directly. Both require strict control of vehicles and industries. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What does the paragraph say adds greatly to both air and noise pollution? A. Farming B. Rainfall C. Religious festivals D. Means of transportation Answer: D. Vehicles such as buses and scooters cause smoke and noise. (Key point: Common cause) 2. Which is a similarity between air and noise pollution? A. Both are visible B. Both harm health and are worst in crowded industrial areas C. Both are harmless in small cities D. Both spread equally far Answer: B. Both harm health and are worst in busy, industrial areas. (Key point: Similarity) 3. Which statement correctly contrasts the two? A. Noise travels far, while air pollution stays local B. Noise causes lung disease, while smoke causes deafness C. Both are controlled in the same way D. Air pollution is visible as smoke and haze, while noise is invisible and local Answer: D. Smoke and haze can be seen and travel with the wind; noise is only heard and falls with distance. (Key point: Difference) 4. Which health effect belongs to noise pollution? A. Lung and respiratory disease B. Deafness and loss of normal hearing C. Eye irritation from smoke D. Skin burns Answer: B. Noise damages hearing; smoke causes respiratory problems. (Key point: Health effects) ## Related in Communication English - [Research article on noise pollution](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Aresearch-article-noise-pollution-urban-nepal) — Communication English, chapter 10, asked 2× - [Report on noise pollution in industrial towns](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Areport-noise-pollution-industrial-towns) — Communication English, chapter 9 - [Research article on air pollution in Kathmandu](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Aresearch-article-air-pollution-kathmandu) — Communication English, chapter 10, asked 3× - [Steam boilers: weaknesses and better energy option](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Asteam-boilers-weaknesses-energy-nepal) — Communication English, chapter 2 - [Importance of reading books (Of Studies)](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Aimportance-of-reading-books) — Communication English, chapter 2 - [Research article on transportation and tourism](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Aresearch-article-transportation-tourism-nepal) — Communication English, chapter 10 ## Related in other subjects - [Kathmandu air pollution and livable city](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Akathmandu-livable-city) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5 - [Indoor air pollution in Nepal and counter measures](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aindoor-air-pollution-nepal) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5 - [Severity of indoor air pollution in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Aindoor-air-pollution-severity) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5 - [Water and air pollution in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Awater-air-pollution-nepal) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 5