完形填空。阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Perhaps you’ve attended some parties. But like New York，where a party or dinner often __1__ business with pleasure, a Washington party is a __2__ part of the business of politics, the business of making __3_ connections.
Some Washington parties have a __4__ aura (气氛) about them, depending on who gives them and who is there, but most parties are open-house __5__ in fact, with the hosts not knowing most of the __6__ who are there.
I went to a few of these parties __7__ I wanted to see the inside of some of the Washington mansions (公馆) I had __8__ so much about. Almost every time during the evening some man would come close to talk with me __9__, we didn’t know each other at all. Such a __10__ exchange clearly proves “a gathering of friends” __11__ Washington party standards. You don’t even need an __12__ to attend many Washington parties. You just have to know about them. No Washington hostess would __13__ her servants to ask you who you were. Most of the bigger parties, those with 300 or 400 guests, _14__ to impress somebody, and Washingtonians __15_.
