---
title: «it's just a theory, so it's basically a guess» What is right? — Evolution myths put right: monkeys, th… · tree and pragmatics
description: «it's just a theory, so it's basically a guess» What is right? Test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 280 «Evolution myths put right: monkeys, the strongest and missing links» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice wa
---

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# Test 4 · ★★★ · Evolution myths put right: monkeys, the strongest and miss…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«it's just a theory, so it's basically a guess» What is right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** it, theory, guess · **What happens:** be · **To what, where:** theory, guess

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 280 «Evolution myths put right: monkeys, the strongest and missing links» of the biology 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/biology/280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links/#t4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links:t4:1
# text = «it's just a theory, so it's basically a guess» What is right?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	theory	theory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
11	basically	basically	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	guess	guess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
15	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	17	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | it | a theory |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | theory | a guess |  |  |  | basically *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | a guess |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, in science a theory is an explanation backed by a mountain of evidence

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links:t4:o1:1
# text = No, in science a theory is an explanation backed by a mountain of evidence
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	9	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	theory	theory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	backed	back	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl:agent	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | science | a explanation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **back** | participle |  | a explanation *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, a theory is a law of the government

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links:t4:o2:1
# text = No, a theory is a law of the government
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	theory	theory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

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

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, like gravity is just a guess

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links:t4:o3:1
# text = Yes, like gravity is just a guess
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
3	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
4	gravity	gravity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	guess	guess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

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

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, a theory is just a guess in science too, until it is proved and becomes a fact

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:280-evolution-myths-put-right-monkeys-the-strongest-and-missing-links:t4:o4:1
# text = Yes, a theory is just a guess in science too, until it is proved and becomes a fact
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	theory	theory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	guess	guess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	too	too	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	proved	prove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	parataxis	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	conj	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	fact	fact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a theory | a guess |  | science |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **prove** | present · passive |  | theory |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **become** | present |  | a fact |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

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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.

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