脸盲症患者表现之一就是对别人的脸型失去辨认能力。用在背单词里面，就是指对容易看错、用错和读错的单词无法辨别。每当我们看到那些外表相似的单词，通常都免不了“脸盲症”发作。掌握辨认它们的诀窍并记住，将是你“复仇”的最佳方式。
我们每个人在刚开始学英语时，看到那些外表相似的单词，总是容易这个看错，把意思搞混了;那个读错，把单词调换了。面对着那些“脸盲虐我千百遍，我自看它如初恋”的可恶单词，谁不曾落下两行晶莹的泪珠，抬起头六十五度仰望天空，伤心地唱起一首歌：“老虎，老鼠，傻傻分不清楚……”
收起那些悲伤的回忆吧，让我们一起给单词找茬，总有一天你会发现英语单词其实比老外的脸好认些。
下面介绍8组经常容易看错、用错和读错的单词，看看有哪些曾经带给过你痛苦的回忆?记住它们，一辈子记得这“深仇大恨”，才是你“复仇”的最佳方式。
1. affect vs. effect
样子长得像，意思略像，但常用词性不一样
affect: to do something that produces an effect or change in something or in someone's situation(多用作动词)
effect: the way in which an event, action, or person changes someone or something(多用作名词)
例句：This disease affects the central nervous system, but we don’t have any medicine that can have an effect on it.
(这种疾病会影响到中枢神经系统，但是我们并没有药品能对它起作用)
2. fellow vs. follow
这两个单词貌合神离，关键是有一个已经过时不常用了(old-fashioned)
fellow: people that you work with, study with, or who are in the same situation as you(伙伴的意思，但属于过时单词)
follow: to go, walk, drive etc behind or after someone else(跟随的意思，比较常用)
例句：My little fellow is following me.
(我的“小伙伴”正跟着我走)
3. sharp vs. shape
一个有点危险，一个可能不那么危险，但也可以变得危险……
sharp: having a very thin edge or point that can cut things easily(锋利的意思)
shape: the form that something has, for example round, square, triangular etc(形状的意思)
例句：Be careful, the broken glass in the shape of triangle is very sharp.
(小心，三角形状的碎玻璃很锋利)
4. contract vs. contact
看着多了一个字母，意思差远了，contact这个词华生昨天才说过
contract: an official agreement between two or more people, stating what each will do(合同的意思)
contact: communication with a person, organization, country etc, or to write to or telephone someone(联系的意思)
例句：If you want to agree this contract, just contact me.
(如果你同意签署这个合同，打电话联系我就行)
5. contend vs. content
前缀(prefix)一样都是con，不过意思总归是不同的
contend: to compete against someone in order to gain something(争夺，奋斗的意思)
content: the things that are inside a box, bag, room(内容，目录的意思)
例句：The content of this book is three kingdoms were contending for power.
(这本书的内容就是三个国家争权夺利)
6. accent vs. ascent
容易看花眼，但是意思也很容易区别
accent: the way someone pronounces the words of a language, showing which country or which part of a country they come from(口音的意思)
ascent: the act of climbing something or moving upwards(攀登，升高的意思，名词)
例句：A man said “three” with a Chinese accent, however, the elevator didn’t begin its ascent.
(一个人用中国口音说了“3”这个词，然而电梯并没有开始上升)
7. principal vs. principle
这两个词不仅看起来像，念起来更像，但意思不同要区别清楚
principal: most important, or the most important person in a school, college, business or organization(最主要的，负责人的意思)
principle: a moral rule or belief about what is right and wrong, that influences how you behave(原则的意思)
例句：As a school principal, it's against John’s principles to accept gifts from students’ parents.
(作为一个校长，从学生家长那里收受礼物是违反John的原则的)
8. adapt vs. adopt
他们俩看起来像，读音略有不同，比较容易读错
adapt: to gradually change your behaviour and attitudes in order to be successful in a new situation(改变，适配的意思)
adopt: to take someone else's child into your home and legally become its parent(多用作收养的意思)
例句：Anne is an orphan, fortunately he is adopted by a rich family. But he needs to adapt to the new luxurious life.
(Anne是一个孤儿，幸运的是他被一个富裕的家庭收养了。但是他得适应阔绰的新生活)
今天的这8组单词合不合你的胃口?其实我们觉得学英语就像吃饭，不能挑食。有些单词固然读写复杂，意思难懂，但就是很多人在用。这就像是苦瓜一样，吃起来很苦，但是很有营养对身体也好。而今日吃的苦，说不定在明日就变成了”甜“呢?
责编/刘爽