---
title: A Scottish gran says: «it's a dreich day, and look, me silver egg sp… — Olympiad: everyday chemistry detective… · tree and pragmatics
description: A Scottish gran says: «it's a dreich day, and look, me silver egg spoons have gone black. it's the rain, aye?» What is the better explanation? Test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 37 «Olympiad: everyday chemistry detectives ★★★» of the chemistry course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragma
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/t4/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[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/) / [Chemistry](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/) / [Olympiad: everyday chemistry detective…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/) / t4

# Test 4 · ★★★ · Olympiad: everyday chemistry detectives ★★★

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Scottish gran says: «it's a dreich day, and look, me silver egg spoons have gone black. it's the rain, aye?» What is the better explanation?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Scottish gran, gran, it, better explanation · **What happens:** say, be, look, go · **To what, where:** dreich day, rain · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 37 «Olympiad: everyday chemistry detectives ★★★» of the chemistry 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/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Scottish gran says: «it's a dreich day, and look, me silver egg spoons have gone black. it's the rain, aye?»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:1
# text = A Scottish gran says: «it's a dreich day, and look, me silver egg spoons have gone black. it's the rain, aye?»
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	gran	gran	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	dreich	dreich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	look	look	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
16	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
17	silver	silver	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
18	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	spoons	spoon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
20	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
21	gone	go	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	advcl	_	_
22	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
24	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	27	cop	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
29	aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	14	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: ask* | present | a Scottish gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | gran | a dreich day |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **look** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 4 | **go** *in a quote* | present · perfect | a Scottish gran *= gran* |  |  |  |  | black *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | it | the rain |  |  |  |  | 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is the better explanation?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:2
# text = What is the better explanation?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	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	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	amod	_	_
5	explanation	explanation	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 better explanation |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aye, grey weather makes silver go dark

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:o1:1
# text = Aye, grey weather makes silver go dark
1	Aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	silver	silver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | grey weather | silver |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | infinitive | silver *not said here* |  |  |  |  | dark *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, sulphur gas from the eggs tarnished them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:o2:1
# text = No, sulphur gas from the eggs tarnished them
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	sulphur	sulphur	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	gas	gas	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	tarnished	tarnish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tarnish** | past | sulphur gas from the eggs | eggs *= egg* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, the damp air is making the silver rust like iron

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:o3:1
# text = No, the damp air is making the silver rust like iron
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	damp	damp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	silver	silver	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	rust	rust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	iron	iron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · progressive | the damp air | the silver rust |  |  |  | like iron | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset rust=Product |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Aye, rain turns silver black overnight

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chemistry:37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives:t4:o4:1
# text = Aye, rain turns silver black overnight
1	Aye	aye	INTJ	UH	_	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	turns	turn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	silver	silver	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
7	overnight	overnight	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | present | rain |  |  |  |  | black, overnight *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Olympiad: everyday chemistry detective…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/t3/)
- next →: [Olympiad: everyday chemistry detective…, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/t5/)
- ↑ back to [Olympiad: everyday chemistry detectives ★★★](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/chemistry/37-olympiad-everyday-chemistry-detectives/)