---
title: A girl at the gate: "Is it true about Mr Green getting sacked? You m… — How to handle gossip: is it true, is i… · tree and pragmatics
description: A girl at the gate: "Is it true about Mr Green getting sacked? You must know!" You've no idea. What's the best answer? Test 9 · ★★ of lesson 49 «How to handle gossip: is it true, is it kind, would I say it to their face» of the adult life course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and
---

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# Test 9 · ★★ · How to handle gossip: is it true, is it kind, would I say…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A girl at the gate: "Is it true about Mr Green getting sacked? You must know!" You've no idea. What's the best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** gate, You, best answer · **What happens:** be, sack, know · **To what, where:** girl

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★ of lesson 49 «How to handle gossip: is it true, is it kind, would I say it to their face» 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/49-how-to-handle-gossip/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A girl at the gate: "Is it true about Mr Green getting sacked?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:1
# text = A girl at the gate: "Is it true about Mr Green getting sacked?
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	girl	girl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	advcl	_	_
11	about	about	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Mr	Mr	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
13	Green	Green	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	12	flat	_	_
14	getting	get	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	sacked	sack	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | gate |  |  |  |  | about Mr; true *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **sack** *in a quote* | gerund · passive |  | a girl at the gate |  |  |  |  | vn fire-10.10 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

<!-- .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:* You must know!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:2
# text = You must know!"
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | must | You |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* You've no idea.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:3
# text = You've no idea.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	idea	idea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 4:* What's the best answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:4
# text = What's the best answer?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I don't know" — that's allowed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:o1:1
# text = "I don't know" — that's allowed
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **know** *in a quote* | present · do-support | I |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **allow** | present · passive |  | that |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Beneficiary |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say yes, so you don't look silly

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:o2:1
# text = Say yes, so you don't look silly
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	look	look	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	conj	_	_
9	silly	silly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent yes=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **look** | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  | silly *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Say no, and invent what really happened

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:o3:1
# text = Say no, and invent what really happened
1	Say	say	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	1	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	invent	invent	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	nsubj	_	_
7	really	really	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	happened	happen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **invent** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **happen** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Make up a reason that sounds right

```conllu
# sent_id = question:adult-life:49-how-to-handle-gossip:t9:o4:1
# text = Make up a reason that sounds right
1	Make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	up	up	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make up** | imperative | you *not said here* | a reason |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme reason=Pivot |
| 2 | **sound** | present | a reason |  |  |  |  | right *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- 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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