Hi, Tim here with another 925 English lesson.

嗨，我是 Tim，這裡是 925 英文課。

In today's lesson, we're going to learn how to talk about similarities.

在今天的課程中，我們將學習如何談論相似性。

Every day, we compare products, companies, jobs - all kinds of things!

每天我們都在比較產品、公司、工作——所有種類的東西！

We talk about how they are different and how they are the same or similar.

我們談論它們的不同之處，以及它們的相同或相似之處。

So, how can we say two things are equal or exactly the same? For example, what if you want to say two people are the same height?

那麼，我們要怎麼說兩個東西是相等或完全一樣的呢。比如說，要怎麼說兩個人的身高一樣呢？

One easy way is to say "as tall as." For example: "Tom is as tall as John." You can do this with any adjectives. You might say "as smart as," "as difficult as," or "as cheap as."

一個簡單的方法是用「as...as」。比如說：「Tom 和 John 一樣高。」 這個用法可以換成任何形容詞，你可以說「一樣聰明、」 「一樣難，」或是「一樣便宜。」

Want to give this a try? Let's start with an example of the expression we just learned. Then we'll try some other expressions for saying two things are the same.

要不要說看看呢？從我們剛剛學過的講法開始，然後，我們再嘗試一些其他的講法來表示兩件事情是一樣的。

Listen to each example then repeat it yourself. Ready? Let's get started.

聽聽每個例句，然後自己再重複一遍。準備好了嗎？我們開始吧。

My old phone is just as good as your new one.

我的舊手機和你的新手機一樣好。

The Samsung and the LG TVs are about the same in quality.

三星和 LG 電視的品質差不多。

There's no real difference between these two products.

這兩種產品並沒有差別。

In my opinion, this and the red one are equally nice.

在我看來，這個和紅色的同樣不錯。

How was that? Besides "as good as," we also heard two things can be "about the same," or there's "no real difference" between them. That's pretty easy, right?

如何呢？除了「一樣好」之外，我們還聽到，兩件事可以說「差不多一樣，」或是兩者之間「沒有差別」，很簡單對吧？

And in the last example, we heard two things can be "equally nice." Saying "equally nice" is just like saying "as nice as."

而在最後一個例子，我們聽到兩個東西可以「同樣好」，表示「equally nice」跟「as nice as」是一樣的。

And in the same way, you can say "equally difficult," "equally expensive," or equally anything else.

同樣的，你也可以說「同樣困難的、」「同樣貴的，」或是跟其他東西是同樣的。

Now, some things are the same, but some things are just similar.

有些東西是一樣的，但有些只是相似。

When I think of similar things, I often think of me and my brother. Similar appearance, similar personality, similar beliefs. Not exactly the same, just similar.

當我想到相似的事情時，我常常會想到我和我哥哥，相似的外表、相似的性格、相似的信仰。不完全一樣，只是相似而已。

That word "similar" is useful. I might say, "my brother and I are similar." Or "quite similar." or "very similar." Or I might say, "I am like" my brother, or I "look like" my brother. That means we are similar, or we look similar.

「相似」這個詞很有用。我可以說：「我的哥哥和我很相似。」或「蠻相似」或「非常相似。」或者我可以說：「我像」我的哥哥，或我「看起來像」我哥哥。這意味著我們很相似，或者我們看起來很相似。

How about some more practice? This time, we'll try saying two things are similar, rather than exactly the same. Once again, repeat the examples after you hear them.

要不要再來練習一下呢？這一次我們要試著說兩件事情是相似，而不是完全一樣。聽完後再重複唸一次例句。

The new Kia minivan looks kind of like a Toyota Sienna.

新款的 Kia 小型車的外觀有點像豐田的 Sienna。

This website is quite similar to our competition's site.

這個網站和我們競爭對手的網站很相似。

Both Dave and Kathy are from the Midwest.

Dave 和 Kathy 都來自中西部。

I prefer afternoon meetings, and so does Tom.

我比較喜歡下午開會，Tom 也是。

Great work. And did you notice that expression "both Dave and Kathy?" That's a great way to say something is true about two people. For example: "Both my brother and I live in New York."

做得很好！你有注意到「both Dave and Kathy」這個講法嗎？這是表達兩個人真實情況的好方法。 例如：「我和我弟弟都住在紐約。」

There's another easy way to say something is true about two people. You just need the words "so do "or "so does". For example: "I live in New York, and so does my brother."

還有一個簡單的方法表示兩個人的真實情況。你只是需要說「so do」或是「so does」。比如說：「我住在紐約，我弟弟也住在紐約。」

All right, we've practiced lots of expressions for showing how two things are the same or similar. Well, not just two things. We also practiced comparing people with these expressions.

好了，我們已經練習了很多講法來表示兩件事情是如何相同或相似，但不只有兩件事，我們也練習用這些講法來比喻人。

But how does all this sound in a conversation? Let's listen to a short dialogue between Juan and Ellen. Juan is asking Ellen to compare some new laptops to their old ones.

但這些講法在對談中聽起來會如何呢？ 讓我們聽聽 Juan 和 Ellen 之間簡短的對話：Juan 要 Ellen 將一些新型筆電跟舊型筆電做比較。

What do you think of these new laptops?

你覺得這些新型筆電怎麼樣？

They look quite similar to our old ones.

它們看起來和我們以前的很相似。

In design, maybe. But what about quality?

在設計上也許是，但品質呢？

Well, I think the old ones are just as good as these new ones.

我覺得舊的和新的一樣好。

As you heard Ellen starts by saying the laptops are "quite similar" in general. And when asked about quality, she uses the expression "just as good as" to show they're the same quality.

正如你所聽到的， Ellen 開頭說兩款筆電整體上「很相似」，而當被問及品質問題時，她用「一樣好」來表明它們的品質是一樣的。

Now it's your turn to practice. We'll repeat the dialogue, but this time we're going to beep out the second speakers words. You will have to say those parts yourself.

現在輪到你們練習了。我們會重複對話，但這次我們會將第二位講者說的話噤聲，你要自己說出來。

Remember to start by saying the laptops are "quite similar." Then you'll say how they're equal in terms of quality. Here we go!

記得先說兩款筆電「很相似」，然後說它們的品質哪裡一樣。開始吧！

What do you think of these new laptops?

你覺得這些新型筆電怎麼樣？

In design, maybe. But what about quality?

在設計上也許是，但品質呢？

All right, that about does it for this lesson.

好了，以上是今天的課程。

We've learned some great ways to talk about how things are similar or the same.

我們已經學會了一些談論事物相似或相同的好方法。

In our next lesson ,we'll learn about the opposite idea: talking about how things are different. Until then, so long and happy learning!

下一堂課我們就來學習一下反面的想法：說說事情哪裡不同。在那之前，先跟大家說再見並祝學習愉快！