---
title: A boy in Edinburgh hears from a cousin's friend that a classmate was… — Rumours and gossip · tree and pragmatics
description: A boy in Edinburgh hears from a cousin's friend that a classmate was arrested. Why should he doubt it? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 202 «Rumours and gossip» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Rumours and gossip

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A boy in Edinburgh hears from a cousin's friend that a classmate was arrested. Why should he doubt it?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** boy · **What happens:** hear, arrest, doubt · **To what, where:** friend, classmate

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 202 «Rumours and gossip» of the everyday 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/everyday/202-rumours-and-gossip/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A boy in Edinburgh hears from a cousin's friend that a classmate was arrested.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:1
# text = A boy in Edinburgh hears from a cousin's friend that a classmate was arrested.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Edinburgh	Edinburgh	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	hears	hear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	classmate	classmate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	arrested	arrest	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | present | a boy in Edinburgh |  |  |  |  | from a cousin's friend | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V PP.source»: agent=Agent from friend=Source |
| 2 | **arrest** | past · passive |  | a cousin's friend |  |  |  |  | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- .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:* Why should he doubt it?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:2
# text = Why should he doubt it?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	doubt	doubt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **doubt** | should | boy | classmate |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cousins' friends always tell the truth

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:o1:1
# text = Cousins' friends always tell the truth
1	Cousins	cousin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	friends	friend	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	tell	tell	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present | Cousins's friends | the truth |  |  |  | always *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Stories change as they pass along, and he has no evidence

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:o2:1
# text = Stories change as they pass along, and he has no evidence
1	Stories	story	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	change	change	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	pass	pass	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
6	along	along	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
11	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	12	det	_	_
12	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | present | Stories |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **pass along** | present | Stories *= story* |  |  |  |  | along *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | present | he | no evidence |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent evidence=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He should believe it if it sounds exciting and comes from someone he knows

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:o3:1
# text = He should believe it if it sounds exciting and comes from someone he knows
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	sounds	sound	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	exciting	exciting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obl	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | should | He | it |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer it=Stimulus |
| 2 | **sound** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | it |  |  |  |  | exciting *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **come** | present |  |  |  | someone |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from someone=Initial\_Location |
| 4 | **know** | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Arrests are always reported at school

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:202-rumours-and-gossip:t1:o4:1
# text = Arrests are always reported at school
1	Arrests	arrest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	reported	report	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **report** | present · passive |  | Arrests |  | school |  | always *property* | vn prosecute-33.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

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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.

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- ← previous: [Honest work at school, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/201-cheating-in-tests-and-homework/e4/)
- next →: [Rumours and gossip, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/202-rumours-and-gossip/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Rumours and gossip](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/202-rumours-and-gossip/)