In reality, the energy saved by sleeping for eight hours is minimal - about ________ same as that obtained from eating a piece of toast.

• A. the
• B. a
• C. an
• D. that

Answer: (A)

Using the definite article before “same” in a comparison is the idea here. When you say something is “the same” as something else, you’re pointing to a specific quantity that both things share, so a definite reference is needed. In this sentence the energy saved is being compared to a particular amount of energy—“the energy obtained from eating a piece of toast”—so that energy is known and definite. That’s why we use “the” before “same”: it marks that we’re talking about the exact same amount, not any energy. Using “a” or “an” would be ungrammatical (“a same”/“an same”) because “same” isn’t used with an indefinite article in this idiomatic construction. Simply using “that” afterward as a determiner isn’t the standard way to form this expression either; the usual and natural form is “the same as that obtained.”