---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Going up and down stairs safely · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the relative hazard of descending, as opposed to ascending, a staircase? Exam question 1 of lesson 1 «Going up and down stairs safely» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the quest
---

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# Exam question 1 · Going up and down stairs safely

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the relative hazard of descending, as opposed to ascending, a staircase?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** relative hazard · **What happens:** follow, characteris, descend, ascend · **To what, where:** relative hazard

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1 «Going up and down stairs safely» of the everyday 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/everyday/1-stairs/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:1-stairs:e1:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the relative hazard of descending, as opposed to ascending, a staircase?
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	11	det	_	_
10	relative	relative	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	hazard	hazard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	descending	descend	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	opposed	opposed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
17	to	to	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
18	ascending	ascend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	staircase	staircase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	?	?	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 relative hazard and a staircase |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **descend** | gerund | the relative hazard and a staircase *not said here* |  |  |  |  | opposed *property* | vn meander-47.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **ascend** | gerund | the relative hazard and a staircase *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The two are equally hazardous in every circumstance

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:1-stairs:e1:o1:1
# text = The two are equally hazardous in every circumstance
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	hazardous	hazardous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	circumstance	circumstance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the two |  |  | every circumstance |  | equally, hazardous *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascent is the more hazardous, since the legs must raise the full weight of the body

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:1-stairs:e1:o2:1
# text = Ascent is the more hazardous, since the legs must raise the full weight of the body
1	Ascent	ascent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
5	hazardous	hazardous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	raise	raise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Ascent |  |  |  |  | hazardous *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **raise** | must | the legs | the full weight of the body |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent weight=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither presents any hazard to a person of school age

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:1-stairs:e1:o3:1
# text = Neither presents any hazard to a person of school age
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	nsubj	_	_
2	presents	present	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	det	_	_
4	hazard	hazard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **present** | present | Neither | any hazard | a person of school age |  |  |  | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent hazard=Theme to person=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Descent is the more hazardous, since a loss of footing propels the body forward and downward

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:1-stairs:e1:o4:1
# text = Descent is the more hazardous, since a loss of footing propels the body forward and downward
1	Descent	descent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
5	hazardous	hazardous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	loss	loss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	footing	footing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
12	propels	propel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	forward	forward	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	downward	downward	ADV	RB	_	5	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Descent |  |  |  |  | hazardous *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **propel** | present | a loss of footing | the body |  |  |  | forward *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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 -->

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- ← previous: [Going up and down stairs safely, test 19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/1-stairs/t19/)
- next →: [Going up and down stairs safely, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/1-stairs/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Going up and down stairs safely](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/1-stairs/)