在大學英語四級考試中，針對詞義辨析而設計的題目占據了不小的比重。
為了引起廣大讀者注意，本文從歷屆考題中選出一些涉及形近詞辨異的題目并試析如下。本文只選取了一部分英語四級形近詞的進行辨異，大家看完本文可以自己動手進行總結，這樣對你們會非常大有好處的，不過這樣做的前提條件是你有充足的時間。
1.
acquire 獲得。如：She has acquired a good knowledge of English.
inquire 詢問，查詢。常用的搭配有inquire sth. of sb. 詢問；inquire about/upon 查問；inquire after (one's health) 問候；inquire into 調查。如：He inquired of all that were present.
request 請求；要求。如：Visitors are requested not to touch the exhibits.
require 需要；要求。如：We require extra help.
(注：四個詞中只有inquire 可用作及物動詞)
If you want to know the train schedule, please at the booking office. (95.1)
A) acquire B) inquire C) request D) require
譯文：如果你想了解列車時刻表，請咨詢售票處。答案是B。
2.
affect 影響，感動，相當于influence。如；The climate affected his health.
effect 產生，引起，用作名詞時表示效果、效應。如：The war effected changes all over the world.
Once out of the earth’s gravity, the astronaut is by the problem of weightlessness. (94.1)
A) affected B) effected C) inclined D) related
譯文：一旦擺脫了地球的引力，宇航員就被失重問題所困擾。答案是A。
3.
arise 產生，出現。如：Before they went out, a mist arose.
rise 上升。如：The sun rises in the east.
raise 舉起，升起，提出。如：A sunken ship was raised to the surface of the sea.
arouse 喚醒，引起，激起。如：His behavior aroused suspicion.
(注：四個詞中，arise與rise為不及物動詞)
A completely new situation will when the examination system comes into existence. (95.6)
A) arise B) rise C) raise D) arouse
譯文：這種考試制度一旦出現，將會出現一個嶄新的局面。答案是A。
Our hopes and fell in the same instant. (01.6)
A) arose B) raised C) rose D) aroused
譯文：一瞬間我們的希望升起又落下了。答案是C。
4.
emergency 緊急情況，不測事件。如：How will the disabled escape in an emergency?
urgency 緊迫性，緊要程度，催逼。如：There is no urgency about this matter.
A fire engine must have priority as it usually has to deal with some kind of .(02.12)
A) precaution B) crisis C) emergency D) urgency
譯文：救火車必須有優先權，因為它一般要對付某種緊急情況。答案是C。
5.
extensive 廣博的，廣泛的。如：He is a scholar with an extensive knowledge of his subject.
expansive 可擴大的，可擴展的。如：These are expansive materials.
intensive 強烈的，精深的，密集的。如：They made an intensive study of the subject.
expensive 費用大的，昂貴的。如：The car is too expensive to buy.
It is quite necessary for a qualified teacher to have good manners and knowledge. (96.1)
A) extensive B) expansive C) intensive D) expensive
譯文：一個合格的教師必須具有良好的舉止和廣博的知識。答案是A。
6.
fee (職業性的咨詢或服務所收)費用，報名費，會費。如：doctor’s fees/a membership fee
fare (車、船等)費用，購票所需費用。如：Train fares are going up again.
Urban crowdedness would be greatly relieved if only the charged on public transport were more reasonable. (02.12)
A) fees B) fares C) payments D) costs
譯文：只要公共交通的收費更合理一些，城市的擁塞情況就可大大緩解。答案是B。
7.
fluid 流體，流動的。如：The political situation was fluid then.
fluent 流暢的，流利的。如：He studied abroad for five years and spoke fluent English.
flowing 流動的，飄垂的。如：She has long hair flowing down her back.
Though he was born and brought up in America, he can speak Chinese. (01.6)
A) fluid B) smooth C) fluent D) flowing
譯文：雖然他生在美國，長在美國，卻能講流利的漢語。答案是C。
8.
live 現場直播的，有生命的。如：The concert will be broadcast live tomorrow. Live fish
lively 有生氣的，鮮明的，生動的。如：She is as lively as a bird .
alive 活的，有效力的，活動的。如：He is the greatest man alive. be alive with (因……而活沃)
living 活著的，逼真的，強烈的。如：She is the living image of her grandma.
The football game comes to you from New York. (02.1)
A) live B) lively C) alive D) living
譯文：你收看的（美式）足球比賽是從紐約現場直播的。答案是A。
9.
preserve 保護，保藏，維持。如：Deep freezing is a good way to preserve food.
reserve 儲備，預定，留作專用。如：I reserved three rooms at the hotel.
retain 保持，保留，雇用。如：She retains a good memory of her childhood.
sustain 支撐，維持，蒙受。如：The light shelf won’t sustain all these books.
We’d like to a table for five for dinner this evening. (02.6)
A) preserve B) reserve C) retain D) sustain
譯文：我們想預定一張今晚五人用餐的餐桌。答案是B。
10.
symbol 符號，象征。如：Red is a symbol of danger.
sign 記號，告示，跡象。如：There are signs of sorrow on her face.
signal 信號，訊號。如：The ship is sending out signals for help.
symptom 癥狀，表征。如：A persistent cough may be a symptom of pneumonia.
Many people like white color as it is a of purity. (02.6)
A) symbol B) sign C) signal D) symptom
譯文：許多人喜歡白色，因為它象征純潔。答案是A。
11.
valid 有效的，有充分根據的。如：The contract is valid for six months.
vain 無益的，徒然的，自負的。如：She made a vain attempt to persuade him to come
back.
vacant 空的，未被占用的，空虛的。如：He applied for a vacant position.
vague 不清楚的，含糊的，茫然的。如：I haven’t the vaguest idea of what they want.
The neighborhood boys like to play basketball on that lot. (02.6)
A) valid B) vain C) vacant D) vague
譯文：附近的男孩愛到那塊空地上打籃球。答案是C。
