Answer from cs61c-al (Phillip Chin 16156822) for Question 2
C has ==, !=, >, <, <=, >=
MIPS has beq, bne

By having a lot fewer, it simplifies MIPS allowing for it to perform a lot quicker. These instructions I believe have to be built on the hardware, and the less material getting in the way of signals, the faster the signal can travel.