Flattery is the act of giving more compliments than are needed.It is generally used for the purpose of gaining favor or pleasing somebody.　However, flattery is not necessarily acceptable.　If it is used properly, it is bound to please the one who receives it.If not, the recipient will feel it is awkward or even exaggerated.
 　　Historically, flattery has been used when a king or queen is talked to.During the Renaissance, it was a common practice to see writers flattering the king.　For example, Niccolò Machiavelli wrote in the book, The Prince, some lines which appeared to flatter Lorenzo II di Piero dé Medici, ruler of Florence.　William Shakespeare did the same thing to King James I in Macbeth.
 　　Flattery is also used to start a romantic relationship.When a gentleman tries to win the favor of a lady, he may use as many words or phrases to compliment the lady to show how fascinating she is to him.　In most cases, the lady will not think flattery is untrue or exaggerated.
 　　In some cases, however, flattery is negative.　Negative descriptions of flattery appeared as far back as in The Bible.　For some people, flattery is dismissed as nothing but the equivalent of human waste.　In The Divine Comedy, for example, Dante describes flatterers as people who walk in human waste.
【題組】11. Flattery is ______.　　　　
(A) definitely acceptable　
(B) purely a positive praise　　　　
(C) sometimes unacceptable　
(D) a lot of words that always please people