---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Ponytail tugging: crushes shown clumsily · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the assertion «it signifies that he likes you» when offered in response to a complaint of hair-pulling? Exam question 2 of lesson 387 «Ponytail tugging: crushes shown clumsily» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the d
---

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# Exam question 2 · Ponytail tugging: crushes shown clumsily

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the assertion «it signifies that he likes you» when offered in response to a complaint of hair-pulling?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** assertion, he, complaint · **What happens:** follow, characteris, signify, like, offer, pull · **To what, where:** assertion, you, response · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 387 «Ponytail tugging: crushes shown clumsily» 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/387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily:e2:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the assertion «it signifies that he likes you» when offered in response to a complaint of hair-pulling?
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	assertion	assertion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	signifies	signify	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	ccomp	_	_
17	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
19	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	20	mark	_	_
20	offered	offer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
23	to	to	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	complaint	complaint	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	_
26	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	29	mark	_	_
27	hair	hair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	25	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	?	?	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 assertion |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **signify** *in a quote* | present | assertion | the assertion *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **like** *in a quote* | present | he | you |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot you=Theme |
| 5 | **offer** | participle |  |  |  | response to a complaint |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **pull** | gerund | a complaint *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn slide-11.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It establishes that the conduct is affectionate and harmless

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily:e2:o1:1
# text = It establishes that the conduct is affectionate and harmless
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	establishes	establish	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	affectionate	affectionate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	harmless	harmless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **establish** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78-1-1 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Pivot |
| 2 | **is** | present | the conduct |  |  |  |  | affectionate *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **be** |  | the conduct *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It obliges the complainant to reciprocate the affection

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily:e2:o2:1
# text = It obliges the complainant to reciprocate the affection
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	obliges	oblige	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	complainant	complainant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	reciprocate	reciprocate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	affection	affection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **oblige** | present | It | the complainant |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent complainant=Patient |
| 2 | **reciprocate** | to-infinitive |  | the affection |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent affection=Eventuality |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It constitutes a sufficient reason to tolerate the conduct

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily:e2:o3:1
# text = It constitutes a sufficient reason to tolerate the conduct
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	constitutes	constitute	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	sufficient	sufficient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	tolerate	tolerate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **constitute** | present | It | a sufficient reason |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme reason=Pivot |
| 2 | **tolerate** | to-infinitive |  | the conduct |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer conduct=Stimulus |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It does not render the hurtful conduct acceptable

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:387-ponytail-tugging-crushes-shown-clumsily:e2:o4:1
# text = It does not render the hurtful conduct acceptable
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	render	render	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	hurtful	hurtful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	acceptable	acceptable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **render** | present · do-support | It | the hurtful conduct |  |  |  | acceptable *property* | vn give-13.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent conduct=Theme |

<!-- 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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