Feifei:  Hello everyone 欢迎收听《你问我答》，我是冯菲菲。 
 
Finn:  And I’m Finn. This is the programme where we answer your questions about the English

Snowy conditions aren't ideal for a motorbike

language.
 
Feifei:  英语里有些不同的词语翻译成中文后意思很相近，那么对于学习英语的朋友们来说，这也是一个让人头疼得问题。
 
Finn:   This week our listener Phoebus Ma has problems with these two words: condition and situation, which he thinks are very similar in meaning.
 
Feifei:   Condition和situation这两个词都有情况，情形的意思。So what are the differences?
 
Finn:  Well, Phoebus is right, the main meanings of these two words are similar. I’m afraid we’re going to have to listen to lots of examples in today’s programme to help us see the differences. Ready Feifei?
 
Feifei:  Of course.
 
Finn:  Let’s think of a character to help us illustrate the differences. Feifei, tell me a boy’s name please.
 
Feifei:  Ok: Tim.
 
Finn:  Tim? That sounds good. Now let me just clap my hands twice…
 
(Finn claps his hands)
 
Insert
 
Tim: Hi, I’m Tim.
 
Finn:  Ah, the magic of radio – we have a Tim.
 
Feifei:  If only everything was that easy.
 
Finn:  Unfortunately Tim’s not happy. Feifei, think of a girl’s name now.
 
Feifei:  How about Julie? Let me try this…
 
(Feifei claps her hands)
 
Insert
 
Julie: Hi, I’m Julie.
 
Feifei:  We have a Julie. You said Tim’s not happy?
 
Finn:  Yes, Tim likes Julie, but she doesn’t like him. He has no money, no job and no muscles.
 
Insert
 
Tim: That’s right. It’s a pretty bad situation really.
 
Feifei:  啊，Tim 在这儿使用的单词situation 表示情况。通常我们用situation 这个词来形容由一系列影响某人生活工作的因素造成的一种状况和处境。 
 
Finn:  That’s right. We might also talk about things like the economic situation of a country, or the political situation last year. Tim couldn’t have used the word condition in his last sentence as he was talking about a whole set of factors that influence him. Condition is more specific.
 
Feifei:  Finn, I want to hear more about Tim and Julie. Let’s help Tim out. What does Julie like?
 
Insert
 
Julie: Ooh. I love motorbikes.
 
Feifei:  Let’s give Tim a motorbike.
 
(Feifei claps her hands and the sound of a motorbike is heard. The engine roars and then
it fails.)
 
Insert
 
Tim: Julie loves motorbikes, but mine’s in such bad condition. The lights don’t work, the tyres are flat and the engine stops after only a few seconds.
 
Feifei:  Poor Tim. 他说他的摩托车in bad condition. 这里用condition 来形容某一样具体东西的好坏情况，当然，这样具体东西在这儿指的是摩托车。 
 
Finn:  Yes, you would say the bike is in bad condition. If you wanted to be more specific you could also say the lights are in bad condition, or the engine is in bad or poor condition. 
 
Feifei:  也就是说，用单词condition 来形容具体的事物的状态，而situation 则用来形容较范的情形。 Anyway, his bike’s broken down, what will he do? 
 
Finn:  That’s easily fixed.
 
(Finn claps his hands and the engine purrs happily)
 
Insert
 
Tim: Great. My bike’s working perfectly now. Julie, here I come. Hang on, it’s been snowing. The road conditions are terrible.
 
Feifei:    Uh oh, 看来Tim 又有麻烦了。他的摩托车好了，不过路况the road conditions 有变糟了。这里使用的名词复数  conditions, 指的是一个人正在经历的一个情况，状况，并且受到了这个状况的影响。 
 
Finn:   The road conditions are bad, they’re dangerous, they affect Tim. You might also talk about things like working conditions or living conditions.
 
Feifei:  So how is this different from the word situation?
 
Finn:  Conditions usually mean the existing environment in which people are living, working or doing things; whereas a situation is all the things happening in a place at one time.
 
Feifei:  比如说，如果下很大的雪，路面交通火车，还有机场航班起降受到影响，那么你可以说 the general transport situation is bad; 但如果只想说一种交通受到的影响，比方说路面交通受到影响，这时就应该说  the road conditions are bad. Right?
 
Finn:  That’s right.
 
Feifei:  Well, I think that’s helped clear up the difference between conditions and situation, but I’m still worried about Tim.
 
Finn:  Yes, while we’ve been explaining all this Tim’s been outside in the snow on his motorbike.
 
Insert
 
Tim: Brrr. It’s freezing. I think I’ve got a cold now. My condition’s getting worse.
 
Feifei:  Tim just used the word condition in another way. 这里condition 指的是病情。这也是单词condition 和situation之间不同的一点，在描述一个病情的时候，我们只能使用condition. Poor Tim. But at least we can…
 
(Feifei claps her hands)
 
Insert
 
Tim: Ooh, my condition’s much better now!
 
Finn:  I think we can carry on with explaining the final two differences between situation and condition. Now, where does Julie live? 
 
Insert
 
Julie:  I live in a castle on top of a high mountain. The situation gives me beautiful views, but it’s a bit difficult to reach as there are no roads.
 
Feifei:  Julie说她住在山顶的一个城堡里。这里她用了单词situation - the situation gives me beautiful views. 单词situation的另一个意思就是位置，而condition 没有这个意思。So how are we going to get Tim to the top of the mountain with no roads? 
 
Finn:  The magic of radio? I think Tim needs a helicopter.
 
(Sound of a helicopter)
 
Insert
 
Tim: Wow, thanks so much!
 
Finn:    Unfortunately Tim, I will only lend you the helicopter on one condition.
 
Insert
 
Tim: Oh, what’s that?
 
Feifei:  Hang on, Finn刚刚用了condition 表示条件。他说会把自己的直升飞机借给Tim on one condition, 也就是说Tim 必须要答应Finn的条件，否则Finn不会出借自己的直升飞机。Finn, what’s the condition?
 
Finn:  I will only lend it to you Tim on one condition: that you take me with you!
 
Feifei:  And me!
 
Insert
 
Tim: Ok, you’ve got a deal! Let’s go.
 
Finn:  I hope we’ve answered Phoebus’s question in today’s programme!
 
Feifei:  Before we go, let’s remind everyone to visit our website for more Question and Answer of the Week programmes.
 
Finn:  Yes – the address is www.bbcukchina.com. Bye!
 
Feifei:  Bye.
 
Insert
 
Tim: Bye everyone
 
Julie: But I don’t like helicopters!

Phoebus wants to know the difference between the words condition and situation in English.

Both words can be translated as 情形 and 情况 in Chinese, so how do we tell the difference?

Try looking at the sentences below and see if you can enter either condition, conditions or situation into the gap. Then listen to the programme to find out which is the correct word and why, with the help of Finn, Feifei, Tim and Julie.

• That’s right. It’s a pretty bad _______ really.

• Julie loves motorbikes, but mine’s in such bad _______.

• The road ________ are terrible.

• I think I’ve got a cold now. My ________ getting worse.

• I live in a castle on top of a high mountain. The ________ gives me beautiful views.

• I will only lend it to you on one _________.

If you have a question about English, email our team at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. We may answer it on this programme.