The question is compare and contrast the architectural details of the Early Christian basilica with those of the Gothic Cathedral.

Question

My question is, what is this question exactly asking? Are they asking to compare the basilica with a Cathedral, or are they asking to compare the Christian basilica with the Cathedral basilica.
And is a basilica a Church ?

Answer 1

Basilica is the term for the earliest of Christian church buildings, yes. You should easily be able to see the differences.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=architecture+in+early+christian+basilica&oq=architecture+early+christian+bas&aq=0K&aqi=g-K1g-mK1g-bK2&aql=&gs_l=hp.3.0.0i30j0i5i30j0i8i30l2.5467.11142.0.15003.32.27.0.5.5.0.205.3527.3j23j1.27.0...0.0.Omlrj1a12Uo
and
http://www.google.com/search?q=architecture+in+early+christian+basilica&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=WH-xT7mNIpOE8ATK782PCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CA4Q_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=643

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS379US379&ix=aca&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=architecture+gothic+cathedral
and
http://www.google.com/search?q=architecture+gothic+cathedral&hl=en&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS379US379&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=kn-xT-ypBoik8ATF8rHRCA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CA4Q_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=643