---
title: Sam's game borders are crisp lines. His Geordie grandad: "Howay, man… — Games vs history: tech trees, barbaria… · tree and pragmatics
description: Sam's game borders are crisp lines. His Geordie grandad: "Howay, man, borders were proper mucky back then." ("Howay, man" means come on; "mucky" means messy.) What's true? Test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 80 «Games vs history: tech trees, barbarians, empty lands, wonders and falls» of the history course of Mo
---

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# Test 9 · ★★★ · Games vs history: tech trees, barbarians, empty lands, won…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sam's game borders are crisp lines. His Geordie grandad: "Howay, man, borders were proper mucky back then." ("Howay, man" means come on; "mucky" means messy.) What's true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** game borders, borders, man, mucky · **What happens:** be, mean, come on · **To what, where:** crisp lines, Howay · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 80 «Games vs history: tech trees, barbarians, empty lands, wonders and falls» 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/80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Sam's game borders are crisp lines.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:1
# text = Sam's game borders are crisp lines.
1	Sam	Sam	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	borders	border	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	crisp	crisp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Sam's game borders | crisp lines |  |  |  |  | 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:* His Geordie grandad: "Howay, man, borders were proper mucky back then."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:2
# text = His Geordie grandad: "Howay, man, borders were proper mucky back then."
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	Geordie	geordie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	grandad	grandad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Howay	Howay	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	borders	border	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
11	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	proper	properly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	mucky	mucky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	appos	_	_
14	back	back	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | borders |  |  |  | then | mucky, properly *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* ("Howay, man" means come on; "mucky" means messy.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:3
# text = ("Howay, man" means come on; "mucky" means messy.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Howay	Howay	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	ccomp	_	_
9	on	on	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	mucky	mucky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	_
14	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
15	messy	messy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | man | Howay |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come on** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **mean** | present | mucky |  |  |  |  | messy *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 4:* What's true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:4
# text = What's true?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Borders were always painted on the ground in bright, crisp lines

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:o1:1
# text = Borders were always painted on the ground in bright, crisp lines
1	Borders	border	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	painted	paint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	bright	bright	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	crisp	crisp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	lines	line	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | past · passive |  | Borders |  | the ground |  | in bright crisp lines; always *property* | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.theme PP.destination»: subject=Theme on ground=Destination |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Borders did not exist at all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:o2:1
# text = Borders did not exist at all
1	Borders	border	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	exist	exist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **exist** | past · do-support | Borders |  |  | all |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at all=Location |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Many borders were fuzzy until modern maps and treaties

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:o3:1
# text = Many borders were fuzzy until modern maps and treaties
1	Many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	borders	border	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	fuzzy	fuzzy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	until	until	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	modern	modern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	maps	map	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	treaties	treaty	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | Many borders |  |  |  | until modern maps and treaties | fuzzy *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every field had a border wall

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:80-games-vs-history-tech-trees-barbarians-empty-lands-wonders-and-falls:t9:o4:1
# text = Every field had a border wall
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	border	border	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | every field | a border wall |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wall=Patient |

<!-- 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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