Attention has consequences
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
On installation day, a perfunctory check caused a problem. A volunteer ticked every box on the form without comparing the labels to the displayed works. The resulting gap beneath the largest painting was conspicuous. When the artist arrived and found her description missing, her disappointment was palpable in the sudden silence and the way she stepped back from the display.
The coordinator acknowledged that the check had been perfunctory and helped print a replacement. The conspicuous empty space soon disappeared, but nobody pretended the mistake had been meaningless. Relief became palpable when the artist read the corrected label and smiled. Before the doors opened, another volunteer inspected each work and its description together, giving the final review proper attention.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.