Look at these examples. 看下列例句：

• ◆The exam was fairly difficult. 这场考试颇难。
• ◆The exam was quite difficult. 这场考试相当难。
• ◆The exam was rather difficult. 这场考试十分难。
• Quite is a little stronger than fairly, and rather is a little stronger than quite. Rather is not very common in NAmE; pretty has the same meaning and this is used in informal BrE too. * quite 比 fairly 语气稍强，而 rather 又比 quite 语气稍强。在美式英语中，rather 不太常用。pretty 与 rather 含义相同，也用于非正式英式英语：◆The exam was pretty difficult. 这场考试十分难。
• In BrE quite has two meanings. 在英式英语中，quite 含义有二：◆I feel quite tired today(= fairly tired). 今天我感到相当累。With adjectives that describe an extreme state ('non-gradable' adjectives) it means 'completely' or 'absolutely'. 与表示极端状态的形容词（即非级差形容词）连用，意为完全地、绝对地：◆I feel quite exhausted. 我感到筋疲力尽。With some adjectives, both meanings are possible. The speaker's stress and intonation will show you which is meant. 与某些形容词连用，两种含义均有可能，究竟属于哪一种由说话者的重音和语调决定：◆Your essay is ˈquite good(= fairly good—it could be better). 你的文章还不错（挺好，不过可以更好）；◆Your essay is quite ˈgood(= very good, especially when this is unexpected). 你的文章简直太好了（非常好，尤指出乎意料）。
• In NAmE quite usually means something like 'very', not 'fairly' or 'rather'. Pretty is used instead for this sense. 在美式英语中，quite 通常为 very 之义，而非 fairly 或 rather。表示后一种意思用 pretty。

These words all describe people who are pleasant to look at. 以上各词均形容人好看。

• beautiful (especially of a woman or girl) very pleasant to look at （尤指女子或女孩）漂亮的，美丽的：◆She looked stunningly beautiful that night. 她那天晚上美极了。
• pretty (especially of a girl or woman) pleasant to look at （尤指女孩或女子）漂亮的，俊俏的：◆She's got a very pretty face. 她有一张非常俏丽的脸。 NOTE Pretty is used most often to talk about girls. When it is used to talk about a woman, it usually suggests that she is like a girl, with small, delicate features. * pretty 多形容女孩。如果形容女子，通常表示这女子像女孩一样小巧玲珑。
• handsome (of a man) pleasant to look at; (of a woman) pleasant to look at, with large strong features rather than small delicate ones 指（男子）英俊的，漂亮的；（女子）健美的：◆He was described as ' tall, dark and handsome '. 他被描述为 “高大黝黑、相貌堂堂”。
• attractive (of a person) pleasant to look at, especially in a sexual way 指（人）性感的、妩媚的、俊朗的、迷人的：◆She's a very attractive woman. 她是个非常迷人的女子。
• lovely (of a person) beautiful; very attractive 指（人）美丽的、迷人的：◆She looked particularly lovely that night. 她那天晚上特别妩媚动人。 NOTE When you describe sb as lovely, you are usually showing that you also have a strong feeling of affection for them. 用 lovely 形容人时，通常表示说话者很喜欢这个人。
• good-looking (of a person) pleasant to look at, often in a sexual way 指（人）好看的、漂亮的、性感的：◆She arrived with a very good-looking man. 她和一个非常英俊的男人一起到来。
• gorgeous (informal) (of a person) extremely attractive, especially in a sexual way 指（人）非常漂亮的、美丽动人的、性感的：◆You look gorgeous! 你美极了！

attractive or good-looking? 用 attractive 还是 good-looking？

• If you describe sb as attractive you often also mean that they have a pleasant personality as well as being pleasant to look at; good-looking just describes sb's physical appearance. 用 attractive 形容人时，常常还表示这人不仅长得漂亮，性格也很可爱，而 good-looking 只指人的长相好看。

Patterns

• a(n) beautiful/pretty/handsome/attractive/lovely/good-looking/gorgeous girl/woman
• a(n) beautiful/handsome/attractive/good-looking/gorgeous boy/man
• a(n) beautiful/pretty/handsome/attractive/lovely/good-looking face