Extract:
Aromatherapy, Fact or Fiction?
For years, aromatherapy has been touted as a safe and natural way to relax and even heal. Essential oils from a variety of scents have been added to candles and sprays to help people feel better. However, a recent study performed at Ohio State University says that these smells, as nice as they may be, do not do a thing to improve people’s health.
To find out if aromatherapy actually works, the researchers tested two of the most popular scents: lemon and lavender. First, test subjects had their heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones, and immune function measured and noted. Next, they were subjected to mild stress-ors and then told to sniff one of the scents to see if the scent would help them to relax. Finally, all the subjects were tested again to look for improvement. No significant changes were noted, even in people who had previously stated they were true believers in the power of aromatherapy.
Of course, this does not necessarily prove that aromatherapy is worthless, either. It was just one small study, pitted against the opinions of thousands of consumers who swear by peppermint on their pillow for an upset stomach or vanilla for a headache. More tests will be done, but in the meantime, a whiff of lavender, lemon, or other scents will certainly do no harm, and can be quite pleasant at the same time.
What is the meaning of the word touted as used in the first paragraph?
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A
Revealed
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B
Glorified
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C
Overcome
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D
Deceived
Touted means glorified, promoted or praised enthusiastically, often with exaggerated claims about benefits.
A) Revealed
Revealed means disclosed or made known, lacking the promotional connotation. "Touted" implies active marketing rather than simple disclosure.
B) Glorified
Glorified captures touted's essence: presenting something as exceptionally beneficial or admirable. The phrase "touted as a safe and natural way to relax and even heal" shows aromatherapy being promoted with enthusiastic claims later challenged by research.
C) Overcome
Overcome means to defeat or prevail, unrelated to promotional language. No semantic connection exists between overcoming obstacles and touting benefits.
D) Deceived
While touted claims may prove deceptive, the word itself denotes promotion rather than dishonesty. Touting can be sincere yet inaccurate, deception implies intentional misleading absent from the word's core meaning.
Conclusion
Context reveals aromatherapy was actively promoted with enthusiastic health claims ("safe and natural... to heal") later contradicted by research. "Glorified" alone captures this connotation of exaggerated promotion without necessarily implying intentional deception.