--- title: Cousin: «Grown-ups whispering on the phone means they're talking abo… — Closed doors, whispers and secrets · tree and pragmatics description: Cousin: «Grown-ups whispering on the phone means they're talking about you.» Is that right? Test 11 · ★ of lesson 35 «Closed doors, whispers and secrets» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was w --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/t11/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Adult life](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/) / [Closed doors, whispers and secrets](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/) / t11 # Test 11 · ★ · Closed doors, whispers and secrets Cousin: «Grown-ups whispering on the phone means they're talking about you.» Is that right? **Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Grown ups, Cousin, that · **What happens:** grow, whisper, mean, talk, be · **To what, where:** phone · **Speech:** someone speaks here This is test 11 · ★ of lesson 35 «Closed doors, whispers and secrets» 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/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/#t11). ## The question {#question} *Sentence 1:* Cousin: «Grown-ups whispering on the phone means they're talking about you.» ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:1 # text = Cousin: «Grown-ups whispering on the phone means they're talking about you.» 1 Cousin cousin NOUN NN Number=Sing 11 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 2 : : PUNCT : _ 6 punct _ _ 3 « « PUNCT `` _ 6 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 4 Grown grow VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 6 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 5 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 6 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 6 ups up NOUN NNS Number=Plur 1 conj _ _ 7 whispering whisper VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 6 acl _ _ 8 on on ADP IN _ 10 case _ _ 9 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 10 det _ _ 10 phone phone NOUN NN Number=Sing 7 obl _ _ 11 means mean VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 12 they they PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 14 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 13 're be AUX VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 14 aux _ _ 14 talking talk VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 11 ccomp _ _ 15 about about ADP IN _ 16 case _ _ 16 you you PRON PRP Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs 14 obl _ SpaceAfter=No 17 . . PUNCT . _ 11 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 18 » » PUNCT '' _ 11 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **grow** *in a quote* | participle | | | | | | | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme | | 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | gerund | Grown ups *not said here* | | | the phone | | | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on phone=Location | | 3 | **mean** *in a quote* | present | Cousin and Grown ups | | | | | | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic | | 4 | **talk** *in a quote* | present · progressive | Cousin | | | | | about you | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about you=Topic | 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. *Sentence 2:* Is that right? ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:2 # text = Is that right? 1 Is be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 3 cop _ _ 2 that that PRON DT Number=Sing|PronType=Dem 3 nsubj _ _ 3 right right ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 0 root _ SpaceAfter=No 4 ? ? PUNCT . _ 3 punct _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is** | present | that | | | | | right *property* | tree rules | ## The options {#options} ### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1} No, it's usually someone else's private business ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:o1:1 # text = No, it's usually someone else's private business 1 No no INTJ UH Polarity=Neg 10 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 10 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 4 's be AUX VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 10 cop _ _ 5 usually usually ADV RB _ 10 advmod _ _ 6 someone someone PRON NN Number=Sing|PronType=Ind 10 nmod:poss _ _ 7 else else ADV RB _ 6 advmod _ SpaceAfter=No 8 's 's PART POS _ 6 case _ _ 9 private private ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 10 amod _ _ 10 business business NOUN NN Number=Sing 0 root _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **is a** | present | it | someone's private business | | | | usually *property* | tree rules | ### Option 2 {#o2} Yes, and it means you're in trouble ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:o2:1 # text = Yes, and it means you're in trouble 1 Yes yes INTJ UH Polarity=Pos 5 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 5 punct _ _ 3 and and CCONJ CC _ 5 cc _ _ 4 it it PRON PRP Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs 5 nsubj _ _ 5 means mean VERB VBZ Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 6 you you PRON PRP Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs 9 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 7 're be AUX VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 9 cop _ _ 8 in in ADP IN _ 9 case _ _ 9 trouble trouble NOUN NN Number=Sing 5 ccomp _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **mean** | present | it | | | | | | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent | | 2 | **is** | present | you | | | trouble | | | tree rules | ### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3} Yes, they're always talking about the kids and what they did wrong ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:o3:1 # text = Yes, they're always talking about the kids and what they did wrong 1 Yes yes INTJ UH Polarity=Pos 6 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 they they PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 6 nsubj _ SpaceAfter=No 4 're be AUX VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 6 aux _ _ 5 always always ADV RB PronType=Tot 6 advmod _ _ 6 talking talk VERB VBG Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part 0 root _ _ 7 about about ADP IN _ 9 case _ _ 8 the the DET DT Definite=Def|PronType=Art 9 det _ _ 9 kids kid NOUN NNS Number=Plur 6 obl _ _ 10 and and CCONJ CC _ 13 cc _ _ 11 what what PRON WP PronType=Int 13 obj _ _ 12 they they PRON PRP Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 13 nsubj _ _ 13 did do VERB VBD Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 6 conj _ _ 14 wrong wrong ADJ JJ Degree=Pos 13 xcomp _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **talk** | present · progressive | they | | | | | about the kids; always *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about kid=Topic | | 2 | **do** | past | kids *= kid* | | | | | wrong *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality | ### Option 4 {#o4} No, grown-ups only whisper about money ```conllu # sent_id = question:adult-life:35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets:t11:o4:1 # text = No, grown-ups only whisper about money 1 No no INTJ UH Polarity=Neg 5 discourse _ SpaceAfter=No 2 , , PUNCT , _ 1 punct _ _ 3 grown grow VERB VBN Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass 5 amod _ SpaceAfter=No 4 - - PUNCT HYPH _ 3 punct _ SpaceAfter=No 5 ups up NOUN NNS Number=Plur 7 nsubj _ _ 6 only only ADV RB _ 7 advmod _ _ 7 whisper whisper VERB VBP Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _ 8 about about ADP IN _ 9 case _ _ 9 money money NOUN NN Number=Sing 7 obl _ _ ``` | # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **grow** | participle | | | | | | | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme | | 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* | present | grown ups | | | | | about money | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about money=Topic | **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. - ← previous: [Closed doors, whispers and secrets, test 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/t10/) - next →: [Closed doors, whispers and secrets, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/e1/) - ↑ back to [Closed doors, whispers and secrets](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/)