An impressive first impression
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
The ostensible purpose of a networking event was to introduce local designers to one another. Its glossy invitation created a veneer of exclusivity, although the organizers had rented an ordinary meeting room. Lina found the description pretentious: it called a short coffee break an 'elevated exchange of visionary perspectives.' She decided to judge the event by what actually happened there.
At first, the elaborate signs sustained that veneer of importance. The host soon described practical activities, however, and the conversation became useful. Lina did not assume that the ostensible purpose was false simply because the invitation was pretentious. She wanted to distinguish an overblown presentation from the separate question of whether the gathering served its stated purpose.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.