The easiest way to display and select a NURBS component is to right-click the object and choose the component type from the marking menu that appears. With the selection type set, you can then select the component on the object.
Like curves, NURBS surfaces have CVs that control the shape of the surface. Each patch has a certain number of CVs, controlled by the degree of the curve. To increase the number of CVs you can insert extra isoparms or increase the degree of the surface.
Isoparametric curves (or isoparms) are lines running along the surface in the U and V directions, showing the shape of the surface as defined by the CVs.
The area enclosed by four adjacent isoparms is called a patch.