"Getting read the riot act" means to be yelled at.
Pretty interesting page on Wiki. I never knew the history behind the phrase.
Quote:
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Because the authorities were required to read the proclamation that referred to the Riot Act before they could enforce it, the expression "to read the Riot Act" entered into common language as a phrase meaning "to reprimand severely", with the added sense of a stern warning. The phrase remains in everyday use in English.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_Act