Difference between 'believe' and 'believe in'

[intel]

Test No. incompl/inter-28 "The Hare and the Tortoise", question 8

When he woke up, he couldn't ......... his eyes because there was the tortoise crossing the finishing line.

(a) understand
(b) believe
(c) comprehend
(d) folow

Test No. incompl/inter-28 "The Hare and the Tortoise", answer 8

When he woke up, he couldn't believe his eyes because there was the tortoise crossing the finishing line.

Correct answer: (b) believe

Your answer was: incorrect
When he woke up, he couldn't folow his eyes because there was the tortoise crossing the finishing line.
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i think : believe + in . do you think so

[Torsten]

What you need here is he couldn't believe his eyes. To believe in something or somebody means to have faith in them or in it and this requires a long term relationship. To believe + object describes a more concrete situation, usually it's a single action as in our sentence.
For example, you can say I believe in miracles which means you think that in general it is possible that miracles happen.
If your friend calls you tomorrow announcoing I've just won 3 million dollars in the lottery! you simply might reply I don't believe you which means you don't think that this particular statement of his is true.
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