---
title: A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke»… — Jokes and teasing: when is it still fu… · tree and pragmatics
description: A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke». What is the problem? Test 7 · ★★ of lesson 203 «Jokes and teasing: when is it still funny?» 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
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/t7/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/) / [Jokes and teasing: when is it still fu…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/) / t7

# Test 7 · ★★ · Jokes and teasing: when is it still funny?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke». What is the problem?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** boy, joke, problem · **What happens:** say, add, be · **To what, where:** joke · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★★ of lesson 203 «Jokes and teasing: when is it still funny?» 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/203-jokes-and-teasing/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:1
# text = A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	wheelchair	wheelchair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	users	user	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	adds	add	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
14	just	just	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a boy | a joke |  |  |  | about wheelchair users | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent joke=Topic |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | present | a boy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | joke | a joke |  |  |  |  | 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is the problem?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:2
# text = What is the problem?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the problem |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The problem is only if a teacher or a wheelchair user is nearby

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:o1:1
# text = The problem is only if a teacher or a wheelchair user is nearby
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	problem	problem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	wheelchair	wheelchair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	user	user	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	nearby	nearby	ADV	RB	_	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the problem | a teacher or a wheelchair user |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the problem *not said here* |  |  |  |  | nearby *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The joke was simply not very well told

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:o2:1
# text = The joke was simply not very well told
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
4	simply	simply	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
6	very	very	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	_
8	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | past · passive |  | the joke |  |  |  | simply, well *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mocking a disability hurts people and spreads prejudice

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:o3:1
# text = Mocking a disability hurts people and spreads prejudice
1	Mocking	mock	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	csubj	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	disability	disability	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	hurts	hurt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	spreads	spread	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
8	prejudice	prejudice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mock** | gerund |  | a disability |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent disability=Theme |
| 2 | **hurt** | present | Mocking | people |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer people=Patient |
| 3 | **spread** | present | Mocking *not said here* | prejudice |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location prejudice=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is fine if no wheelchair user hears

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:203-jokes-and-teasing:t7:o4:1
# text = It is fine if no wheelchair user hears
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	expl	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	7	det	_	_
6	wheelchair	wheelchair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	user	user	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	hears	hear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **hear** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | no wheelchair user |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Jokes and teasing: when is it still fu…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/t6/)
- next →: [Jokes and teasing: when is it still fu…, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/t8/)
- ↑ back to [Jokes and teasing: when is it still funny?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/)