作者：吴安运
一、private, personal
1. I won't tell you about it, for it's ________ .
2. He made a ________ appearance at the meeting.
参考答案与简析：1. private 2. personal
这两个词都有"私自的；个人的"之意。区别在于：private有"私立的；非公开的；秘密的"的意思；而personal没有。但是，personal有"亲自的；本人的"的意思，相当于in person。
二、possible, likely, probable
1. She is ________ to stay here for a few days.
2. It's ________ for me to go home at four.
3. It is ________ that he forgot all about it.
参考答案与简析：1. likely 2. possible 3. probable / possible / likely
这三个词都有"可能的"之意，但用法不同。possible 可用于 It is possible (for sb.) to do sth. 或 It is possible that... 句型中，但当其作表语时，通常不用人作主语。 likely 既可用人也可用物作主语，还可用于 It is likely that... 句型中，但通常不能说 It is likely for sb. to do sth.。probable 在作表语时，通常不用人或不定式作主语，只用于It is probable that...句型中。
三、in common, in general, in particular, in short
1. ________ boys like sports more than girls.
2. The man, ________ , is not to be trusted.
3. They have nothing ________ with one another.
4. I noticed his eyes ________ , because they were very big.
参考答案与简析：1. In general 2. in short 3. in common 4. in particular in common (with)意思是"（与）......有共同之处；(和......)一样"。 in general意思是"大体上；通常；一般说来"。 in particular = particularly意思是"特别；尤其"。 in short意思是"简单地说；总之"。
四、store, save, keep
1. He was out of work. He had ________ no money.
2. I have ________ the old letters all the time.
3. We had to ________ all this while we were away. 4. Will you the papers for me?
5. They are ________ for a house.
参考答案与简析：
1. saved 2. kept 3. store 4. keep 5. saving
三个词都有"存"的含义。store 是及物动词，有"储藏；储存"的意思，一般强调在一个空间范围内的保管和收藏。 save 既可以作及物动词也可以作不及物动词，多指货币的储蓄。 keep 也有"保存"的意思，与 store 比较，它并不强调特定的地点和场所，是由"保留"的意思引申而来的。