Passage 1 My friend Leo makes up weak and poor excuses whenever there is something he doesn’t want to do. Just two weeks ago, he was at my house when he decided he didn’t want to go into work. He called his boss and said he had to get a new set of tires put on his truck. Then he (1) __________ and watched TV with me. Not only had he lied but his excuse wasn’t a very (2) __________ one. Another time, he cancelled a date with his girlfriend at the last minute telling her he had to get a new (3) __________ for his truck. She was angry and refused to go out with him again until he (4) __________ . Last weekend, Leo offered the poorest excuse yet. He’d (5) __________ he’d help me move some (6) __________ , from my parents’ house to my new (7) __________ . He was supposed to bring his truck over about 8 o’clock Saturday morning. I waited, and then called and (8) _________________ on his machine. About 11:30, he called and said he was sorry but he’d been getting a new set of tires put on his truck. I guess he’d (9) __________ he used the same excuse when he called his boss from my house. I think I need a new set of friends. I’m beginning to (10) ________________ Leo’s excuses.