英語裡，在沒有語境的情況下，很多近義詞的意思基本上一致，幾乎無法分清相互之間的區別，讓人雌雄莫辨。
下面這幾組詞語就經常在文章裡出現，而且在寫作時也很難準確掌握其使用之道。
1.basic, elementary, fundamental,primary這一組形容詞都有“基本、基礎的”之意。
BASIC
You use basic to describe things, activities, and principles that are very important or necessary, and on which others depend.
基本的，基礎的，
BASIC既可用於具體事物，也可用於抽象事物。
例句：
That law deprived me of my most basic rights.
那條法律把我的最基本權利都剝奪了。
ELEMENTARY
Something that is elementary is very simple and basic.
初步的，初級的，
著重指基本的或開始的事物，也指初步的概念和原則、必要的因素及組成部分。
例句：
He is ignorant of even the most elementary facts.
他連最基本的事實都不知道。
A proton is an elementary particle of matter.
質子是物質的基本粒子。
FUNDAMENTAL
You use fundamental to describe things, activities, and principles that are very important or essential. They affect the basic nature of other things or are the most important element upon which other things depend.
根本性的，必要的，必須的。
一般只用於抽象的事物；
例句：
Industry leaders want scientists to engage in fundamental research, not applied research.
行業領袖希望科學家從事基礎性研究，而非應用性研究。
Our constitution embodies all the fundamental principles of democracy.
我們的憲法體現了民主的所有基本原則。
PRIMARY
You use primary to describe something that is very important.
最初的、主要的，表示在進展順序中居於首位。
例句：
A distinction should be made between the primary and secondary tasks.
要區別主要的和次要的任務。
I don't think young people's primary aim in life is to get drunk.
我覺得年輕人生活的主要目標並不是一醉方休。
2.chuckle, giggle, grin, jeer, laugh, sneer這一組詞都和“笑”有關，而且之間的差別也比較明顯。
CHUCKLE
When you chuckle, you laugh quietly.
(書面語)吃吃的笑，抿嘴笑，輕聲笑
多指因得意或領會到某事中的趣味而暗自發笑。
例句：
I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book.
他看書時，我能聽見他在輕聲發笑。
The banker chuckled and said, 'Of course not.'
銀行家暗自發笑並說道：“當然不。”
He chuckled at her forthrightness.
她的直率讓他暗自發笑。
GIGGLE
If someone giggles, they laugh in a childlike way, because they are amused, nervous, or embarrassed.
咯咯地笑，痴笑，傻笑
多指女人和孩子由於緊張、被逗樂、尷尬時所發出的笑聲。
例句：
The children couldn't stop giggling at the teacher's high-pitched voice.
教師的嗓音很高，孩子們都不禁咯咯地笑起來。
I was so nervous I got the giggles.
我很緊張，不禁傻笑起來。
GRIN
When you grin, you smile broadly.
露齒而笑
指人因高興、滿足、輕蔑等咧開嘴露齒地笑。
例句：
He grins, delighted at the memory.
想到往事，他開心地咧嘴笑了起來。
Sarah tried several times to catch Philip's eye, but he just grinned at her.
薩拉幾次想引起菲利普的注意，但是他只是衝她咧嘴笑了笑。
They grinned with pleasure when I gave them the sweets.
當我給他們糖果時，他們高興地咧開嘴笑了。
JEER
To jeer at someone means to say or shout rude and insulting things to them to show that you do not like or respect them.
譏笑，嘲笑
其同義詞是mock，通常以jeer at詞組使用。
例句：
Do not jeer at the mistakes or misfortunes of others.
不要嘲笑別人的錯誤或不幸。
Marchers jeered at white passers-by, but there was no violence, nor any arrests.
遊行者奚落路過的白人，但沒有發生暴力事件，也沒有人被逮捕。
His motorcade was jeered by angry residents.
他的車隊遭到憤怒的當地居民的嘲諷。
LAUGH
When you laugh, you make a sound with your throat while smiling and show that you are happy or amused. People also sometimes laugh when they feel nervous or are being unfriendly.
笑，大笑，
用於一般的笑或出聲的大笑。
例句：
We tried to laugh the girl out of that slight accident.
我們試圖以談笑的方式使女孩忘掉那起小事故。
He was about to offer an explanation, but she was beginning to laugh.
他正要解釋，她卻笑起來了。
He laughed with pleasure when people said he looked like his dad.
人們說他長得像父親時，他樂得大笑起來。
不過，laugh還有另一個意思：“嘲笑；譏笑”，與jeer同義，通常是laugh at：
If people laugh at someone or something, they mock them or make jokes about them.
例句：
I thought they were laughing at me because I was ugly.
我覺得他們嘲笑我是因為我長得醜。
She wanted to laugh at the melodramatic way he was acting.
他戲劇化的誇張架勢使她忍不住想笑。
SNEER
If you sneer at someone or something, you express your contempt for them by the expression on your face or by what you say.
冷笑，嘲笑
指以語言、表情和聲調錶示輕蔑或嘲弄。
例句：
There is too great a readiness to sneer at anything the Opposition does.
對反對黨的任何舉動都想加以嘲笑的心理過於急切了。
If you go to a club and you don't look right, you're sneered at.
如果你去夜總會卻穿得不合時宜，人家會笑你的。
Most critics have sneered at the movie, calling it dull and cheaply made.
大多數批評家都嘲笑這部電影，稱其無聊、製作低劣。
~~未完待續~~
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