---
title: Mum and Dad have been arguing about "Duck Egg" for an hour. Your lit… — When things break: boilers, plumbers a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Mum and Dad have been arguing about "Duck Egg" for an hour. Your little sister cries "are you getting divorced?" What is true? Test 9 of lesson 11 «When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the questi
---

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# Test 9 · When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum and Dad have been arguing about "Duck Egg" for an hour. Your little sister cries "are you getting divorced?" What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Mum, little sister, you · **What happens:** argue, cry, get, divorce, be · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 of lesson 11 «When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/adult-life/11-when-things-break/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mum and Dad have been arguing about "Duck Egg" for an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:1
# text = Mum and Dad have been arguing about "Duck Egg" for an hour.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	aux	_	_
6	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	Duck	Duck	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	Egg	Egg	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present · perfect · progressive | Mum and Dad |  |  |  | hour | about Duck Egg | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about egg=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Your little sister cries "are you getting divorced?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:2
# text = Your little sister cries "are you getting divorced?"
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	cries	cry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	ccomp	_	_
9	divorced	divorce	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cry** *speech: express* | present | Your little sister |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **get** *in a quote* | present · progressive | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **divorce** *in a quote* | participle | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn marry-36.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:3
# text = What is true?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, arguing about paint is a sign of a big split

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:o1:1
# text = Yes, arguing about paint is a sign of a big split
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	csubj	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	paint	paint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sign	sign	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	split	split	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | about paint | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about paint=Topic |
| 2 | **is a** | present | arguing | a sign |  |  |  | of a big split | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, Duck Egg is a code word for a serious fight

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:o2:1
# text = Yes, Duck Egg is a code word for a serious fight
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	Duck	Duck	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
4	Egg	Egg	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	flat	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	code	code	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	serious	serious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Duck | a code word |  |  |  | for a serious fight | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, they are arguing about what to cook for tea

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:o3:1
# text = No, they are arguing about what to cook for tea
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	arguing	argue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	9	obj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	cook	cook	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	tea	tea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present · progressive | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **cook** | to-infinitive | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for tea | vn build-26.1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent what=Material for tea=Beneficiary |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, it is just two people with different tastes about a colour

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:11-when-things-break:t9:o4:1
# text = No, it is just two people with different tastes about a colour
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	tastes	taste	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	about	about	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | two people |  |  |  | with different tastes about a colour | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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