When a response becomes abusive
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
A scurrilous leaflet went beyond the documented labeling problem, spreading coarse personal accusations about the museum staff that its writer knew were false. The virulent hostility in several responses made even an ordinary request for clarification sound like part of an attack. An egregious mistake in the museum's own correction then identified the wrong person as responsible for all the invented labels. The director withdrew that notice and asked the staff to verify names before issuing another public account.
The scurrilous leaflet remained objectionable even though the museum had real errors to correct, because false personal attacks did not become reliable evidence through repetition. The virulent exchange also discouraged visitors who wanted to ask reasonable questions without joining the hostility. Correcting the egregious misidentification required a clear acknowledgment of how conspicuously bad that mistake had been. The next notice distinguished verified conduct from rumor and stated which labels had actually been revised.
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.