---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Just So Stories, The Crab that Played… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the attribution of laziness to an entire people in this tale? Exam question 4 of lesson 92 «Just So Stories, The Crab that Played with the Sea, part 3: the Moon pulls the sea, and how tides really work» of the books course of Mova's pri
---

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# Exam question 4 · Just So Stories, The Crab that Played with the Sea, part 3…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the attribution of laziness to an entire people in this tale?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, characteris, attribute · **To what, where:** attribution, laziness

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 92 «Just So Stories, The Crab that Played with the Sea, part 3: the Moon pulls the sea, and how tides really work» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/books/92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea:e4:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the attribution of laziness to an entire people in this tale?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	attribution	attribution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	laziness	laziness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	entire	entire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	19	det	_	_
19	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the attribution of laziness |  |  |  | of the following statements; to a entire people in this tale; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **attribute** |  |  | laziness |  |  |  |  | nom attribution «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a fair and sensible description of their habits

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea:e4:o1:1
# text = It is a fair and sensible description of their habits
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	sensible	sensible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	description	description	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	habits	habit	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a fair description |  |  |  | of their habits | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an old and unkind prejudice, now recognised as wrong

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea:e4:o2:1
# text = It is an old and unkind prejudice, now recognised as wrong
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	prejudice	prejudice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	recognised	recognise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
11	as	as	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a old prejudice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **recognise** | participle |  | a old prejudice *not said here* |  |  | now | wrong *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an old and unkind prejudice, which the story tells as a true fact about the children of the Man

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea:e4:o3:1
# text = It is an old and unkind prejudice, which the story tells as a true fact about the children of the Man
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	prejudice	prejudice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	fact	fact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
17	about	about	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	Man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a old prejudice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | the story | a old prejudice |  |  |  | as a true fact about the children of the Man | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent which=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an old and unkind prejudice, now recognised as wrong, though the story itself still treats it as fair and sensible

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea:e4:o4:1
# text = It is an old and unkind prejudice, now recognised as wrong, though the story itself still treats it as fair and sensible
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
7	prejudice	prejudice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	recognised	recognise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
14	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
17	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	16	nmod:unmarked	_	_
18	still	still	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	treats	treat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	as	as	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	obl	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	sensible	sensible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a old prejudice |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **recognise** | participle |  | a old prejudice *not said here* |  |  | now | as wrong | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer as wrong=Attribute |
| 3 | **treat** | present | the story  story | prejudice |  |  | still | as fair | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent it=Theme as fair=Attribute |

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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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- ← previous: [Just So Stories, The Crab that Played…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea/e3/)
- next →: [Just So Stories, The Cat that Walked b…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/93-justso-cat-1-the-first-friend-and-the-first-servant/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories, The Crab that Played with the Sea, part 3: the Moon pulls the sea, and how tides really work](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/92-justso-crab-3-the-moon-pulls-the-sea/)