How to use the words with the same meaning?

[Doanquynhtrang]

Excuse me !
I have a question . When i do english exercises , I usually meet difficuties in how to use the words with the same meaning .
For example :
1. " The diamonds you bought at the market are ................"
A. man-made
B. synthetic
C. artificial
D. False
And my teacher's answer is "B. artificial".
2. "She was not ..... for the job".
A. fit
B. suitable
C. available
D. appropriate
==> A. fit

I see that all these answers have the same meaning. So how can we distinguish them ?
Thanks before hand .

[Ralf]

Hi there,

The word 'artificial' means as much as 'fake'.

She was not 'suitable' for the job means that she was not the right person. If she wasn't 'available', she didn't accept the job.
_________________
Test of English as a Foreign Language
TOEFL Preparation & TOEFL Vocabulary
Learn more: How to Become an English Teacher

[Doanquynhtrang]

hi! thanks so much . But i am still wondering .
In example 2 : " fit, suitable, appropriate " mean " well - fitted" . right ?
But my teacher said that the answer should be " fit " . I don't know why .
In example 1 : all those words mean " not natural " . Ok ?
So how can i know which situiation i use this word or that word .
Thanks .

[Yankee]

Hi doanquynhtrang

Was it your teacher who wrote those test sentences?

Or did those questions come from a book? (If so, what book?)
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Lost_Soul]

Hi, Ralf and Amy

If I say she was not fit for the job, would it mean that her physical parameters are not suitable for the job, e.g. she's overly obese or lacks the necessary strength
or is fit just plain wrong and weird ?

Thanks!

[Doanquynhtrang]

Actually, my teacher took these exercises from a mutiple choice book without name . And she photocopyed them for each of us.
Can you tell me the answer ?

[Ralf]

Hi,

'Fit' here means much the same as 'suitable', so that'd be alright as well. Not the best of exercises, I suppose.
_________________
Test of English as a Foreign Language
TOEFL Preparation & TOEFL Vocabulary
Learn more: How to Become an English Teacher

[Yankee]

I agree with Ralf. Those exercises don't seem to be very good.

In my opinion, both man-made and synthetic can be (and are) also sometimes collated with the word 'diamond', but 'synthetic diamond' would probably be the most common collocation (of the three).
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English

[Doanquynhtrang]

thanks for all of your help . I will consider these exercises .