---
title: Ascertain the two senses operative in the statement that a book on a… — Puns and jokes that need a pun · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the two senses operative in the statement that a book on anti-gravity is "impossible to put down". Exam question 4 of lesson 28 «Puns and jokes that need a pun» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova
---

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# Exam question 4 · Puns and jokes that need a pun

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the two senses operative in the statement that a book on anti-gravity is "impossible to put down".

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, book · **What happens:** ascertain, be, put down · **To what, where:** senses operative, statement · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 28 «Puns and jokes that need a pun» of the language 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/language/28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun:e4:1
# text = Ascertain the two senses operative in the statement that a book on anti-gravity is "impossible to put down".
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
3	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	senses	sens	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	compound	_	_
5	operative	operative	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	anti-gravity	anti-gravity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	impossible	impossible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
19	down	down	ADP	RP	_	18	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the senses operative |  | the statement |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | a book on anti-gravity |  |  |  |  | impossible *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **put down** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | a book on anti-gravity *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That it is engrossing to read and that it would literally float

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun:e4:o1:1
# text = That it is engrossing to read and that it would literally float
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	engrossing	engross	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	read	read	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	literally	literally	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	float	float	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **engross** | present · progressive | That |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **read** | to-infinitive | That *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **float** | would | it |  |  |  |  | literally *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That it is heavy to lift and that it is excessively expensive to purchase

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun:e4:o2:1
# text = That it is heavy to lift and that it is excessively expensive to purchase
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	lift	lift	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	excessively	excessively	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	expensive	expensive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	purchase	purchase	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | That |  |  |  |  | heavy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **lift** | to-infinitive | That *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | excessively, expensive *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **purchase** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That it is boring and that it is short

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun:e4:o3:1
# text = That it is boring and that it is short
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	boring	boring	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | That |  |  |  |  | boring *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | short *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That it is lost and that it is stolen

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun:e4:o4:1
# text = That it is lost and that it is stolen
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	stolen	steal	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | present · passive |  | That |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **steal** | present · passive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: subject=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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- ← previous: [Puns and jokes that need a pun, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun/e3/)
- next →: [Sarcasm and tone of voice, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/29-sarcasm-and-tone-of-voice/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Puns and jokes that need a pun](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/28-puns-and-jokes-that-need-a-pun/)