OE

“Trying to befriend” and “not even deigned” show a shift from an aloof condescension to a desperate need to make friends or come across as likeable. [A] ingratiating means “trying desperately to win the affection of others.” [B] fawning, while slightly different from “ingratiating,” captures the college graduate’s attempts to win the affection of others through excessive flattery. [C] withdrawn is the opposite of the blank. [D] volatile means “prone to changing one’s mood suddenly and unpredictably.” [E] vociferous means “outspoken.” [F] direct doesn’t capture the college graduate’s sense of desperation to seem likeable.