set: applies to a comparatively large, typically social, group of persons bound together by common interests or tastes: the hunting ~.        （set最常用的意思是一套一组一副a group of similar things that belong together，如a set of six chairs一套6个椅子，如a set of new rules/books/false teeth一套新规则/书/一副假牙）  （这里set表示相同爱好的社交圈子，如最近很火的fans set饭圈也叫粉丝圈，如本例hunting set狩猎圈，Dublin's literary set都柏林的文学圈子)  


circle: implies a common center of the group, such as a person, an activity, or a cause: a peaceful family ~.        （和set不同的是，circle强调有个中心点，如a family circle家庭圈的中心是父母，friend circle朋友圈是自己，戏剧/科学圈theatrical/scientific circles的是杰出人物）


coterie: applies to a small, select, or exclusive circle: political aspirants, each with a ~ of advisors.      如the songs were written by a small coterie of dedicated writers这些歌是由几名酷爱音乐的作曲家谱写的


clique: is likely to suggest a selfish or arrogant exclusiveness and is especially applicable to a small inner or dissident group within a larger set or circle: a high school made up of combative ~s.       intellectual clique知识分子小圈子  Lin Biao clique林彪集团


set圈子: 指兴趣爱好相同的人组成的社交群体，相对较大，circle圈子: 和set同义但暗示存在一个中心，如人、活动、事业，coterie小圈子: 指精选的排外的小的圈子，clique小圈子: 常表示大群体内的（持不同意见的）小圈子

记忆方法: 1）练习一下

         2）圈子的意思是封闭排外的一群人mean a more or less closed and exclusive group of persons.