---
title: Your Gen Z cousin says the Jordan story means "the GOAT was mid as a… — Being bad at something and keeping going · tree and pragmatics
description: Your Gen Z cousin says the Jordan story means "the GOAT was mid as a kid" ("mid" means average). Which is fairer? Test 5 of lesson 37 «Being bad at something and keeping going» of the arts course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mo
---

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# Test 5 · Being bad at something and keeping going

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your Gen Z cousin says the Jordan story means "the GOAT was mid as a kid" ("mid" means average). Which is fairer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Z cousin, Jordan story, mid · **What happens:** say, mean, mi, be · **To what, where:** GOAT, average · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 of lesson 37 «Being bad at something and keeping going» of the arts 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/arts/37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going/#t5).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your Gen Z cousin says the Jordan story means "the GOAT was mid as a kid" ("mid" means average).

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:1
# text = Your Gen Z cousin says the Jordan story means "the GOAT was mid as a kid" ("mid" means average).
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
2	Gen	gen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Z	z	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Jordan	Jordan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
10	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	GOAT	GOAT	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	mid	mi	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	ccomp	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
19	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	mid	mid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	_
23	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
24	average	average	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your Z cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present | the Jordan story |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **mi** *in a quote* | past · passive |  | the GOAT |  |  |  | as a kid | tree rules |
| 4 | **mean** | present | mid | average |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent average=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:* Which is fairer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:2
# text = Which is fairer?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fairer	fair	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	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 |  |  |  |  |  | fair *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The story proves that he was never any good at basketball

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:o1:1
# text = The story proves that he was never any good at basketball
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	proves	prove	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
8	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	basketball	basketball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | present | the story |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **is** | past | story |  |  | basketball |  | good *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He gave up basketball and became famous at something else

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:o2:1
# text = He gave up basketball and became famous at something else
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	basketball	basketball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	became	become	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obl	_	_
10	else	else	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give up** | past | He | basketball |  |  |  |  | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent basketball=Source |
| 2 | **become** | past | He *not said here* |  |  | something |  | famous *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was the best player in the world at the age of five

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:o3:1
# text = He was the best player in the world at the age of five
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	player	player	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	five	five	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | the best player |  | the world | at the age of five |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is reported he was not picked at 15 and then practised hard

```conllu
# sent_id = question:arts:37-being-bad-at-something-and-keeping-going:t5:o4:1
# text = It is reported he was not picked at 15 and then practised hard
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	reported	report	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	picked	pick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	15	15	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
12	practised	practise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
13	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **report** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: subject=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **not** **pick** | past · passive |  | he |  | 15 |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP PP.source NP.asset»: subject=Theme at 15=Asset |
| 3 | **practise** | participle |  |  |  |  | then | hard *property* | tree rules |

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**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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