1.able, capable, competent
able为常用词,指具有做某事所需的力量,技巧,知识与时间等,一般下效率无关,用作定语表示能力超出平均水平。如:A cat is able to see in the dark. (猫在黑暗中能看见东西。)
capable 指满足一般要求的能力,可以是表现出来的,也可是潜在的,搭配是be capable of +doing。用作定语,表示的能力没有able表示的能力强。如:He is capable of running a mile in a minute. (他能在一分钟内跑完一英里。)He is a very capable doctor. (他是一位很好的大夫。)
competent 指“胜任”,“合格”,或受过专业技术等训练的,但不是超群的能力。如:A doctor should be competent to treat many diseases. (医生应该能治多种病。)
2.aboard, abroad, board, broad
aboard 在船(或飞机,车)上。如:I never went aboard a ship.
abroad 副词,在国外或海外。如:He often goes abroad.
board 为动词,上(船,飞机,车)。如:The passengers are boarding the plane now.
broad 为形容词,宽广的。如:He has very broad shoulders.
3.accept, receive
accept 接受,receive“接到”,“收到”。如:I received an invitation yesterday, but I didn’t accept it. (昨天我收到了一个请柬,但并没有接受邀请。)
4.accident, incident, event
accident事故。如:a traffic accident (交通事故)
incident“附带事件”,在政治上特指引起国际争端或战争的事件,事变。
event “事件”,指特别重要的事件,通常是由以前的努力而产生的结果,也指国家和社会的事件。
5. accomplish, complete, finish, achieve, attain
accomplish表成功,强调完成的结果而不是过程。如:Because of his hard word, things are accomplished. (由于他的努力,事情都已完成了。)
complete 表示积极的完成,更具体地指建筑、工程等的完成。如:Has he complete his novel yet? (他的小说写完了吗?)
finish 最常用,后接动词的-ing形式,表示在一个活动的连续过程中完成了最后的一步或阶段。如:I’ll finish the job alone. (我要独自完成这项工作。)
achieve 完成,实现,强调通过努力而达到目的。如:You will achieve success if you work hard.
Attain达到,实现,常用于一般人的能力不易达到的目的。如:Greater efforts are needed before we can attain our goals.
6.accurate, correct, exact, precise
accurate准确的,精确的。如:Clocks in railway stations should be accurate.(火车站的钟应该是准确的。)
correct“正确的”,指符合一定的标准或准则,含有“无错误的”意味。它的反义词是incorrect, wrong.
exact“精确的”,“恰好的”,比“大体上正确”更进一步,表“丝毫不差”。它的反义词是inexact。
precise强调“精确”,“精密”。
7.accuse, charge, sue
accuse 指责,指控,常与of 搭配。如:His boss accused him of carelessness.
charge 常与with搭配。如:The police charged the driver with reckless driving.
sue 常与for 搭配。如:Smith sued his neighbor for damaging his house.
8.achieve, acquire, require, inquire
achieve(成功地)完成,实现。如:He will never achieve anything unless he works harder. (如他不努力工作,将会一事无成。)
acquire取得,获得,学到。如:acquire knowledge (获得知识)
inquire打听,询问。如:inquire a person’s name(问一个人的姓名)
require需要。如:We require more help. (我们需要更多的帮助。)
9.act, action, deed
act 用作名词时,与action, deed均可表“行为”,“举动”。Act指时间较短的个人行动或行为,强调结果。如:The farmer caught the boys in the act of stealing his apples. (农夫在孩子们正偷他的苹果时把他们抓住了。)
action较正式,往往指不止包含一个步骤,且持续时间较长的行为或行动,强调行为的过程。如:Actions are more important than words. (行动比语言更重要。)
deed为正式用语,多指伟大的,显著的,感人的行为。如:They thanked him for his good deeds. (他们感谢他做的好事。)
10.actual, true, real, genuine
actual 意为“实际的”,“现实的”,指所形容的事物在事实上已经发生或存在,而不是仅在理论上可能发生或存在的。
true“真实的”,指与实际相符,而非虚假。
genuine “真的”,“非冒充的”,“货真价实的”,强调正宗而非冒牌。