"How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly greeting that people in the United States use. It's a question that often doesn't need an answer. The person who asks, "How are you?" expects to hear the answer "Fine," even if the person isn't fine. The reason is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine" isn't really an answer. They are common ways of saying "hello" or "hi".
For example, when someone asks "Do you agree?", the other person may be thinking, "No, I don't. I think you're wrong." It isn't polite to disagree very strongly, so he might say, "I am not so sure."
People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking to other people. For example, many conversations over the phone end when one person says, "I've got to go now," or the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse such as "Someone is at the door," or, "Something is burning on the stove." The person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say so. An excuse is polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person's feelings.
Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an opinion, or ending a conversation, people often don't say exactly what they are thinking.
A. This is a nicer way to say that you don't agree with someone.
B. You'd better not to tell the truth to your family.
C. However, "How are you?" is also an unusual question.
D. The excuse may be real, or not.
E. Sometimes, people don't say exactly what they mean.
F. If you disagree with others, they will hate you.
G. This is one way of being nice to people, and it's a part of the game of language.
