He is in high spirits. Obviously he sounded a lot more optimistic than when I saw him in prison a year and a half ago.

She is in very high spirits, and very optimistic.

When lightning struck, it sounded like a bomb went off. We saw a flash on the east, and it struck on the west.

When lightning struck, it sounded like a bomb went off, ... We saw a flash on the east, and it struck on the west.

It seems like they are moving deck chairs around on the Titanic. When I saw the announcement, it sounded like some large bureaucratic organization hiring McKinsey to move boxes around.

It sounded a lot like me when I didn't want to go to Vancouver. Really, I had never heard of (Vazquez) before. I didn't know who he was.