QUES: The FBI is trying to determine when White House officials and members of the vice president ' s staff first focused on Wilson and learned about his wife ' s employment at the agency .

The FBI is trying to determine when White House officials and members of the vice president 's staff focused on Wilson and learned about his wife 's employment .

The sentences above mean the same or not?
****
ANS: yes

QUES: He said sales of grocery and other consumer packaged products are the strongest , but discretionary items are still weak .

Potter added that sales of grocery and other consumer packaged products are the strongest but sales of discretionary items such as decorative accessories are still weak .

The sentences above mean the same or not?
****
ANS: yes

QUES: Currently , about 37,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea .

There are 100,000 U.S. troops in Asia , most of them in South Korea and Japan .

The sentences above mean the same or not?
****
ANS:
no