---
title: Amir asks, "Did some countries get rich by nicking stuff off others?… — Why some places grew rich · tree and pragmatics
description: Amir asks, "Did some countries get rich by nicking stuff off others?" ("Nicking" means stealing.) Best answer? Test 10 · ★ of lesson 72 «Why some places grew rich» of the history course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choic
---

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# Test 10 · ★ · Why some places grew rich

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Amir asks, "Did some countries get rich by nicking stuff off others?" ("Nicking" means stealing.) Best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Amir, countries, Nicking · **What happens:** ask, do, get, nick, mean, steal · **To what, where:** stuff, others · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 10 · ★ of lesson 72 «Why some places grew rich» of the history 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/history/72-why-some-places-grew-rich/#t10).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Amir asks, "Did some countries get rich by nicking stuff off others?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:1
# text = Amir asks, "Did some countries get rich by nicking stuff off others?"
1	Amir	Amir	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	Did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
7	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
9	rich	rich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	_
10	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	nicking	nick	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
12	stuff	stuff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
13	off	off	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | Amir |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *in a quote* | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **get** *in a quote* | present | some countries |  |  |  |  | rich *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **nick** *in a quote* | gerund | some countries *not said here* | stuff |  | others |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent stuff=Theme off other=Source |

<!-- .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:* ("Nicking" means stealing.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:2
# text = ("Nicking" means stealing.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Nicking	nicking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	stealing	steal	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Nicking |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **steal** *not said to happen* | gerund | Nicking *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Best answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:3
# text = Best answer?
1	Best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	2	amod	_	_
2	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only small countries ever did that

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:o1:1
# text = Only small countries ever did that
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	countries	country	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	_
5	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | small countries | that |  |  | ever |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent that=Eventuality |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some did, through colonies and slavery, and historians debate how much it explains

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:o2:1
# text = Some did, through colonies and slavery, and historians debate how much it explains
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	through	through	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	colonies	colony	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	slavery	slavery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	historians	historian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	debate	debate	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
12	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	13	advmod	_	_
13	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	obj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	explains	explain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | Some | colonies and slavery |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent colony=Eventuality |
| 2 | **debate** | present | historians |  |  |  |  |  | vn chit\_chat-37.6-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | slavery | much |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent much=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, and it is the only reason any country is rich, so historians have nothing left to argue about

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:o3:1
# text = Yes, and it is the only reason any country is rich, so historians have nothing left to argue about
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	12	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	only	only	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
9	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
10	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	rich	rich	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
15	historians	historian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	parataxis	_	_
17	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	16	obj	_	_
18	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	acl	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	argue	argue	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	advcl	_	_
21	about	about	ADP	IN	_	20	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | it | the only reason |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the only reason |  |  |  |  | rich *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **have** | present | historians | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Patient |
| 4 | **leave** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No country ever took anything from another

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:72-why-some-places-grew-rich:t10:o4:1
# text = No country ever took anything from another
1	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	4	advmod	_	_
4	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | no country | anything |  | another | ever |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent anything=Theme from another=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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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