I have never heard of "the raft race," but "the rat race" is a common expression for always having to work for a living, constantly working to make a good life without having much time to enjoy it.

Everything in 1) and 2) mean the same thing: a mistake. All three in 3) mean the same. 4) Sight and vision are also the same.

I haven't heard the song you're talking about but as a native English speaker I would say that "running with the wild things" means behaving wildly/freely, indulging one's desires, "give us a number pass or fail us" is talking about someone judging them or "grading" them based on unrealistic expectations, and "quit carving notches to count the days" implies that they want to enjoy life rather than just watching the time pass by. Just from the phrases you have given, it sounds like the song is about young people who want to be free to make their own choices without harsh judgment from society.

No . Distance refers to how far away you are from someone physically. Treating people equally means you are fair to others or give the same respect to everyone.

While they may often be used interchangeably, "too" implies that something is more that one can handle, whereas "so" simply means "very much." "He is so loud." (He is very loud) "He is too loud." (He needs to be quieter) "It's so cold!" (It is very cold) "It's too cold!" (I need to go somewhere warmer or put on warmer clothes)

1. The book is so popular that it is now in its tenth printing. 2. I prefer going out to watching TV at home. 3. No real difference. "On Sunday" without 's' could mean "I plan to go to church this Sunday," but it could also mean the same as "I go to church on Sundays" if you are describing your weekly schedule.

It's easy: if an action is sanctioned, it is approved. If a person or group is sanctioned, then they are penalized or censured. For example: "The state has sanctioned the use of government funds for these purchases." vs. "The state sanctioned him for using government funds for unauthorized purchases." See the difference?