---
title: In a cartoon a boy asks "can I have sweets?", and his mum says "yǐhò… — Today, tomorrow, now, later · tree and pragmatics
description: In a cartoon a boy asks "can I have sweets?", and his mum says "yǐhòu zài shuō". He cheers. Was he right to cheer? Test 7 of lesson 21 «Today, tomorrow, now, later» of the Chinese street course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova
---

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# Test 7 · Today, tomorrow, now, later

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a cartoon a boy asks "can I have sweets?", and his mum says "yǐhòu zài shuō". He cheers. Was he right to cheer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** boy, mum, shuō · **What happens:** ask, have, say, cheer, be · **To what, where:** cartoon, sweets · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 of lesson 21 «Today, tomorrow, now, later» of the Chinese street 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/chinese-street/21-today-tomorrow-now-later/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In a cartoon a boy asks "can I have sweets?", and his mum says "yǐhòu zài shuō".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:1
# text = In a cartoon a boy asks "can I have sweets?", and his mum says "yǐhòu zài shuō".
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	ccomp	_	_
11	sweets	sweet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
19	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	yǐhòu	yǐhòu	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	22	discourse	_	_
21	zài	zài	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	20	flat	_	_
22	shuō	shuō	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | a boy |  |  | a cartoon |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | can | a boy *= boy* | sweets |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sweet=Patient |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | boy's mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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:* He cheers.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:2
# text = He cheers.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cheers	cheer	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cheer** | present | shuō |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Was he right to cheer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:3
# text = Was he right to cheer?
1	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	right	right	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	cheer	cheer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | shuō |  |  |  |  | cheer, right *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, it means "yes, have them now"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:o1:1
# text = Yes, it means "yes, have them now"
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **have** *in a quote* | present |  | them *= they* |  |  | now |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, it means "take two"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:o2:1
# text = Yes, it means "take two"
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
7	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | two |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent two=Theme |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Probably not, it's usually a soft no

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:o3:1
# text = Probably not, it's usually a soft no
1	Probably	probably	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	soft	soft	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	no	no	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | it | a soft no |  |  |  | usually *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, it means "never ever, not once"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:chinese-street:21-today-tomorrow-now-later:t7:o4:1
# text = No, it means "never ever, not once"
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | it |  |  |  | ever | once *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

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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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