---
title: A boy shouted «I'm stuck!» from a tree three times as a joke. The fo… — Covering up, false alarms and playing… · tree and pragmatics
description: A boy shouted «I'm stuck!» from a tree three times as a joke. The fourth time he really is stuck. Why might nobody hurry? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 277 «Covering up, false alarms and playing fair» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · Covering up, false alarms and playing fair

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A boy shouted «I'm stuck!» from a tree three times as a joke. The fourth time he really is stuck. Why might nobody hurry?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** boy, fourth time, nobody · **What happens:** shout, be, hurry · **To what, where:** tree · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 277 «Covering up, false alarms and playing fair» 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/277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A boy shouted «I'm stuck!» from a tree three times as a joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:1
# text = A boy shouted «I'm stuck!» from a tree three times as a joke.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	stuck	stuck	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
13	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl:unmarked	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | a boy |  |  | a tree | time | as a joke | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | a boy *= boy* |  |  |  |  | stuck *property* | 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:* The fourth time he really is stuck.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:2
# text = The fourth time he really is stuck.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fourth	fourth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	amod	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	really	really	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	stuck	stuck	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

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

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Why might nobody hurry?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:3
# text = Why might nobody hurry?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	4	nsubj	_	_
4	hurry	hurry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurry** | might | nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Trees are always safe to climb

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:o1:1
# text = Trees are always safe to climb
1	Trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	climb	climb	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Trees |  |  |  |  | always, safe *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **climb** | to-infinitive | Trees *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People never help in the afternoon

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:o2:1
# text = People never help in the afternoon
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	help	help	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	afternoon	afternoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **help** | present | People |  |  |  | afternoon |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He shouted in the wrong voice, so nobody could tell it was really him

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:o3:1
# text = He shouted in the wrong voice, so nobody could tell it was really him
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	voice	voice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	nsubj	_	_
10	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	really	really	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | He |  |  | the wrong voice |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | could | nobody |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past | voice | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His false alarms taught them not to believe him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play:t4:o4:1
# text = His false alarms taught them not to believe him
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	alarms	alarm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	believe	believe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
9	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | His false alarms |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent they=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **believe** | to-infinitive | His false alarms *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer he=Stimulus |
| 3 | **alarm** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom alarm «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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- next →: [Covering up, false alarms and playing…, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play/t5/)
- ↑ back to [Covering up, false alarms and playing fair](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/277-covering-up-false-alarms-and-fair-play/)