---
title: Identify the principal reason for which calm and clear words are pre… — Standing up for yourself, nightmares a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which calm and clear words are preferred to physical retaliation when one's possessions are repeatedly taken. Exam question 1 of lesson 100 «Standing up for yourself, nightmares and the dark» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree 
---

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# Exam question 1 · Standing up for yourself, nightmares and the dark

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which calm and clear words are preferred to physical retaliation when one's possessions are repeatedly taken.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, one · **What happens:** identify, prefer, take, possess · **To what, where:** principal reason, calm words, possessions

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 100 «Standing up for yourself, nightmares and the dark» 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/100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark:e1:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which calm and clear words are preferred to physical retaliation when one's possessions are repeatedly taken.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obl	_	_
7	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
10	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	preferred	prefer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	physical	physical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	retaliation	retaliation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	22	mark	_	_
17	one	one	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	's	PART	POS	_	17	case	_	_
19	possessions	possession	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
20	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux:pass	_	_
21	repeatedly	repeatedly	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	taken	take	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **prefer** | present · passive |  | calm words |  |  |  | for the principal reason; to physical retaliation | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Stimulus for which=Attribute |
| 3 | **take** | present · passive |  | one's possessions |  |  |  | repeatedly *property* | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 4 | **possess** |  | one |  |  |  |  |  | nom possession «act transitive»: poss=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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Calm words are more effective, whereas retaliation aggravates matters

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark:e1:o1:1
# text = Calm words are more effective, whereas retaliation aggravates matters
1	Calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
5	effective	effective	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	retaliation	retaliation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	aggravates	aggravate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
10	matters	matter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Calm words |  |  |  |  | effective *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **aggravate** | present | retaliation | matters |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus matter=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Physical retaliation is permitted on a second occasion only

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark:e1:o2:1
# text = Physical retaliation is permitted on a second occasion only
1	Physical	physical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	retaliation	retaliation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	permitted	permit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	8	amod	_	_
8	occasion	occasion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present · passive |  | Physical retaliation |  | a second occasion |  |  | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: subject=Theme on occasion=Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Retaliation is preferred, as it concludes the matter at once and for good

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark:e1:o3:1
# text = Retaliation is preferred, as it concludes the matter at once and for good
1	Retaliation	retaliation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	preferred	prefer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	concludes	conclude	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	7	obl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prefer** | present · passive |  | Retaliation |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |
| 2 | **conclude** | present | Retaliation | the matter |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent matter=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Calm words oblige the other party to pay compensation

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:100-standing-up-nightmares-and-the-dark:e1:o4:1
# text = Calm words oblige the other party to pay compensation
1	Calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	oblige	oblige	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	pay	pay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
9	compensation	compensation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **oblige** | present | Calm words | the other party |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent party=Patient |
| 2 | **pay** | to-infinitive | Calm words *not said here* | compensation |  |  |  |  | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent compensation=Asset |

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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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