---
title: Max says: «The Amazon is definitely longer than the Nile, my teacher… — The great rivers · tree and pragmatics
description: Max says: «The Amazon is definitely longer than the Nile, my teacher said.» What is the best answer? Test 1 of lesson 16 «The great rivers» of the geography course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was right.
---

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# Test 1 · The great rivers

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Max says: «The Amazon is definitely longer than the Nile, my teacher said.» What is the best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Max, Amazon, best answer · **What happens:** say, be · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 16 «The great rivers» of the geography 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/geography/16-the-great-rivers/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Max says: «The Amazon is definitely longer than the Nile, my teacher said.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:1
# text = Max says: «The Amazon is definitely longer than the Nile, my teacher said.»
1	Max	Max	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Amazon	Amazon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	definitely	definitely	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	Nile	Nile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Max |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | than the Nile; definitely, long *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | past | the Amazon |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 best answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:2
# text = What is the best answer?
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	5	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Max is right, it is proven beyond doubt

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:o1:1
# text = Max is right, it is proven beyond doubt
1	Max	Max	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	proven	prove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
8	beyond	beyond	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Max |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **prove** | present · passive |  | it |  |  |  | beyond doubt | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is still argued: the Nile is usually named first, but some measurements make the Amazon longer

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:o2:1
# text = It is still argued: the Nile is usually named first, but some measurements make the Amazon longer
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	still	still	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	argued	argue	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Nile	Nile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
9	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	named	name	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
11	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	15	det	_	_
15	measurements	measurement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	Amazon	Amazon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	16	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present · passive |  | It |  |  | still |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V S»: subject=Topic |
| 2 | **name** | present · passive |  | the Nile |  |  |  | first, usually *property* | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **make** | present | some measurements | the Amazon |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset amazon=Product |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Nile is twice as long as the Amazon

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:o3:1
# text = The Nile is twice as long as the Amazon
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Nile	Nile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	twice	twice	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	6	advmod	_	_
5	as	as	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	Amazon	Amazon	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the Nile |  |  |  |  | as the Amazon; long, twice *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both rivers are the same length

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:16-the-great-rivers:t1:o4:1
# text = Both rivers are the same length
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	rivers	river	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	length	length	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
```

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

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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: [The Arctic and Antarctica, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/15-the-arctic-and-antarctica/e4/)
- next →: [The great rivers, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/16-the-great-rivers/t2/)
- ↑ back to [The great rivers](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/16-the-great-rivers/)