provoke: directs attention to the response called forth and often applies to an angry or vexed or extreme reaction: my stories usually ~ laughter.   （reaction, response都表反应，其中 response表示自愿快速的implies willing, spontaneous, and ususally quick reaction，reaction是基础词，如quick response快速反应(响应)，如in response, she stormed out of the room她的反应是怒气冲冲地走出房间。reaction则没有快速愿意的暗示，如reaction to the visit is mixed对这次访问的反应不一）  (vex是恼火烦恼，本质上也是anger愤怒，但是强调因为无法理解焦虑而导致的anger，如a vexing problem令人烦恼的问题，如it vexed me to think of others gossiping behind my back一想到别人在背后说我闲话，我就很恼火)


excite: implies a stirring up or moving profoundly: news that ~ed anger and frustration.   （profound既表示深也表示广，这里表示深深地或完全地激起或触动means being both deep and thorough，如the Tang poetry has had a profound influence on Chinese literature唐诗对中国文学有深远影响，如Laozi is a profound philosopher老子是渊博的哲学家，中文中的渊博也表示深而且广）


stimulate: suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference: the challenge ~d them to work faster.（lethargy困倦，表示不愿意活动，沉沉欲睡，由于伤病药物等implies a drowsiness or aversion to activity such as is induced by disease, injury, or drug，如months of lethargy followed my skiing accident滑雪事故后的几个月一直困倦）


pique: suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge: that remark ~d my interest.  （irritate除了表示生气不耐烦外，还表示刺激皮肤或身体，使酸痛或发痒to make your body itch or become sore or painful，如some drugs can irritate the lining of the stomach有些药物会刺激胃内壁，如wear rubber gloves while chopping chillies as they can irritate the skin切辣椒时要戴橡胶手套,因为会刺激皮肤）


quicken: implies beneficially stimulating and making active or lively: the high salary ~ed her desire to have the job.


provoke激起挑衅: 强调激发出了反应，特别是愤怒烦恼等极端反应，excite激动: 指深深激发触动，stimulate刺激: 表示使不再困倦静止冷淡，pique刺激: 表示通过轻微的刺激挑战，quicken刺激: 指对人有益的刺激，变得积极活跃


记忆方法: 1）首字母激起PESPQ想成PEPSI百事可乐(IQ智商)<==激起      中文的"激"表示水由于受阻碍或震荡而涌或飞溅，如冲激，激荡，激浊扬清（冲激污水，让清水出来，比喻打击坏人坏事，奖励好人好事）；还比喻使人感情冲动，如刺激，激励，感激，激动，激昂慷慨；还派生出了急剧强烈的意思，如激烈，激进，激光

         2）激起的意思是激发反应或情绪mean to rouse someone or something into doing, being, or feeling.     "起"指从坐卧变成直立，"发"是指放出射出，引申为去某地，逻辑上应是先起后发，但使用时已没有区别，如"宰相必起于州部，猛将必发于卒伍"中的起发没有区别，激起和激发也没有区别或区别很小，一般可以互换。