---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Balance and falling well · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the condition under which a standing person retains balance? Exam question 1 of lesson 2 «Balance and falling well» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each opt
---

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# Exam question 1 · Balance and falling well

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the condition under which a standing person retains balance?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** standing person · **What happens:** follow, characteris, retain · **To what, where:** condition, balance

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 2 «Balance and falling well» 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/2-balance-and-falling-well/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:2-balance-and-falling-well:e1:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the condition under which a standing person retains balance?
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	condition	condition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	under	under	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obl	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	standing	standing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	retains	retain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
17	balance	balance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	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 condition |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **retain** | present | a standing person | balance |  | the condition |  |  | 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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Balance is retained whilst the centre of gravity remains above the area enclosed by the feet

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:2-balance-and-falling-well:e1:o1:1
# text = Balance is retained whilst the centre of gravity remains above the area enclosed by the feet
1	Balance	balance	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	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	whilst	whilst	SCONJ	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	centre	centre	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	gravity	gravity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	remains	remains	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	nmod	_	_
10	above	above	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	area	area	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	enclosed	enclose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	acl	_	_
14	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retain** | present · passive |  | Balance |  |  |  | whilst the centre of gravity remains above the area | tree rules |
| 2 | **enclose** | participle |  | the area *not said here* |  |  |  | by the feet | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Balance is retained only whilst the feet are placed tightly together

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:2-balance-and-falling-well:e1:o2:1
# text = Balance is retained only whilst the feet are placed tightly together
1	Balance	balance	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	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	whilst	whilst	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	placed	place	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
10	tightly	tightly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	together	together	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retain** | present · passive |  | Balance |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **place** | present · passive |  | the feet |  |  |  | tightly, together *property* | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Balance is retained solely whilst the eyes remain closed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:2-balance-and-falling-well:e1:o3:1
# text = Balance is retained solely whilst the eyes remain closed
1	Balance	balance	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	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	solely	solely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	whilst	whilst	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	remain	remain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retain** | present · passive |  | Balance |  |  |  | solely *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **remain** | present | the eyes |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **close** | participle | the eyes *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Balance is retained whenever the arms are held rigidly at the sides

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:2-balance-and-falling-well:e1:o4:1
# text = Balance is retained whenever the arms are held rigidly at the sides
1	Balance	balance	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	retained	retain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	whenever	whenever	SCONJ	WRB	_	8	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
9	rigidly	rigidly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	sides	side	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retain** | present · passive |  | Balance |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hold** | present · passive |  | the arms |  | the sides |  | rigidly *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: subject=Theme at side=Location |

<!-- 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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