在大学英语四级考试中，针对词义辨析而设计的题目占据了不小的比重。
为了引起广大读者注意，本文从历届考题中选出一些涉及形近词辨异的题目并试析如下。本文只选取了一部分英语四级形近词的进行辨异，大家看完本文可以自己动手进行总结，这样对你们会非常大有好处的，不过这样做的前提条件是你有充足的时间。
1.
acquire 获得。如：She has acquired a good knowledge of English.
inquire 询问，查询。常用的搭配有inquire sth. of sb. 询问；inquire about/upon 查问；inquire after (one's health) 问候；inquire into 调查。如：He inquired of all that were present.
request 请求；要求。如：Visitors are requested not to touch the exhibits.
require 需要；要求。如：We require extra help.
(注：四个词中只有inquire 可用作及物动词)
If you want to know the train schedule, please at the booking office. (95.1)
A) acquire B) inquire C) request D) require
译文：如果你想了解列车时刻表，请咨询售票处。答案是B。
2.
affect 影响，感动，相当于influence。如；The climate affected his health.
effect 产生，引起，用作名词时表示效果、效应。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
译文：一旦摆脱了地球的引力，宇航员就被失重问题所困扰。答案是A。
3.
arise 产生，出现。如：Before they went out, a mist arose.
rise 上升。如：The sun rises in the east.
raise 举起，升起，提出。如：A sunken ship was raised to the surface of the sea.
arouse 唤醒，引起，激起。如：His behavior aroused suspicion.
(注：四个词中，arise与rise为不及物动词)
A completely new situation will when the examination system comes into existence. (95.6)
A) arise B) rise C) raise D) arouse
译文：这种考试制度一旦出现，将会出现一个崭新的局面。答案是A。
Our hopes and fell in the same instant. (01.6)
A) arose B) raised C) rose D) aroused
译文：一瞬间我们的希望升起又落下了。答案是C。
4.
emergency 紧急情况，不测事件。如：How will the disabled escape in an emergency?
urgency 紧迫性，紧要程度，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
译文：救火车必须有优先权，因为它一般要对付某种紧急情况。答案是C。
5.
extensive 广博的，广泛的。如：He is a scholar with an extensive knowledge of his subject.
expansive 可扩大的，可扩展的。如：These are expansive materials.
intensive 强烈的，精深的，密集的。如：They made an intensive study of the subject.
expensive 费用大的，昂贵的。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
译文：一个合格的教师必须具有良好的举止和广博的知识。答案是A。
6.
fee (职业性的咨询或服务所收)费用，报名费，会费。如：doctor’s fees/a membership fee
fare (车、船等)费用，购票所需费用。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
译文：只要公共交通的收费更合理一些，城市的拥塞情况就可大大缓解。答案是B。
7.
fluid 流体，流动的。如：The political situation was fluid then.
fluent 流畅的，流利的。如：He studied abroad for five years and spoke fluent English.
flowing 流动的，飘垂的。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
译文：虽然他生在美国，长在美国，却能讲流利的汉语。答案是C。
8.
live 现场直播的，有生命的。如：The concert will be broadcast live tomorrow. Live fish
lively 有生气的，鲜明的，生动的。如：She is as lively as a bird .
alive 活的，有效力的，活动的。如：He is the greatest man alive. be alive with (因……而活沃)
living 活着的，逼真的，强烈的。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
译文：你收看的（美式）足球比赛是从纽约现场直播的。答案是A。
9.
preserve 保护，保藏，维持。如：Deep freezing is a good way to preserve food.
reserve 储备，预定，留作专用。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 支撑，维持，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
译文：我们想预定一张今晚五人用餐的餐桌。答案是B。
10.
symbol 符号，象征。如：Red is a symbol of danger.
sign 记号，告示，迹象。如：There are signs of sorrow on her face.
signal 信号，讯号。如：The ship is sending out signals for help.
symptom 症状，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
译文：许多人喜欢白色，因为它象征纯洁。答案是A。
11.
valid 有效的，有充分根据的。如：The contract is valid for six months.
vain 无益的，徒然的，自负的。如：She made a vain attempt to persuade him to come
back.
vacant 空的，未被占用的，空虚的。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
译文：附近的男孩爱到那块空地上打篮球。答案是C。
