Her ______ manner during the deposition — exaggerated sighs, trembling lips, and carefully timed tears — suggested that she was performing grief rather than genuinely experiencing it.
Correct: A
Histrionic means excessively dramatic or emotional, especially in a way that is intended to attract attention or manipulate others. While theatrical also means dramatic, histrionic specifically implies manipulative, overwrought emotional display for effect. The sentence describes someone performing emotions strategically during a legal proceeding, which is the hallmark of histrionic behavior. Apocryphal means of doubtful authenticity, and perfunctory means carried out with minimal effort or thought.