英语讲义【19】容易混淆的常用词

　　两个学生的作业里有这两句话：

　　①Singapore is a small and young country. Its achievements have been significant.

　　②Beside attacking student mobs, the author also criticized the goverments indulgent attitude.

　　两句中各有一个错误，即：Its和Beside；应该是 Its和Besides才对。Its是it is的缩写，Its才是所有代名词它的。Beside是在旁边，而Besides 才是除此之外。

　　像这样形似义异的字，在英语里相当多，稍微粗心，便会混淆不清。

　　下面是些类似的混淆词，请大家注意：

　　⒈altogether（完全地）：all together（全部）

　　（a） Dr Zhang was not altogether pleased with his salary.

　　（b） Please go all together.

　　⒉complement（辅助）：compliment（恭维）

　　（a） Different transport means complement one another very well.

　　（b） Sam complimented Helen on her assistance.

　　⒊uninterested（不感兴趣的）： disinterested（大公无私的）

　　（a） All were uninterested in the project.

　　（b） A good judge should be disinterested.

　　⒋formally（正式地）：formerly（以前）

　　（a） The guest was formally introduced to the host.

　　（b） Tom was formerly our class monitor.

　　⒌healthful（有利健康的）：healthy（身体健康）

　　（a） Villagers enjoy the healthful mountain air.

　　（b） Healthy people live happily.

　　⒍impractical（不切实际的）：impracticable（不易实行的）

　　（a） Such a plan is idealistic; it is impractical.

　　（b） No one will support an idea if it is impracticable.

　　⒎tasty（好吃的）：tasteful（有鉴赏力的）

　　（a） Many westerners like tasty Chinese Food.

　　（b） Helen made a tasteful arrangement of the furniture in the lobby.

　　⒏statue（雕像）：stature（身高）：statute（法令）

　　（a） There is a gigantic statue of Raffles in the park.

　　（b）Most basketball players are men of tall stature.

　　（c） It is necessary to remove an outdated statute or replace it with an up-to-date one.

　　⒐appreciable（明显的；可感觉到的）：appreciative（欣赏的；感激的）

　　（a） There has been an appreciable increase in food prices./ There is an appreciable difference in the attitude of two new clerks.

　　（b） David was very appreciative of his colleagues cooperation in the project.

　　⒑burned：burnt（焚烧）

　　（a） The love of freedom burned in our hearts./ The candles have burned brightly since last night.（不及物动词）

　　（b） The boy burnt his thumb./ Betty has burnt all the letters from her former boy friend.（及物动词）