---
title: It is stated by a parent that an instruction has been given «a milli… — Starving, a million times and a ton: e… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is stated by a parent that an instruction has been given «a million times». Select the response consistent with the established facts. Exam question 2 of lesson 44 «Starving, a million times and a ton: everyday hyperbole» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree a
---

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# Exam question 2 · Starving, a million times and a ton: everyday hyperbole

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is stated by a parent that an instruction has been given «a million times». Select the response consistent with the established facts.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** parent, you · **What happens:** state, give, select, establish · **To what, where:** It, instruction, response

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 44 «Starving, a million times and a ton: everyday hyperbole» 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/44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole/#e2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is stated by a parent that an instruction has been given «a million times».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:1
# text = It is stated by a parent that an instruction has been given «a million times».
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	stated	state	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	instruction	instruction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
16	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **state** *speech: other* | present · passive | a parent | It |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent subject=Topic |
| 2 | **give** | present · perfect · passive |  | a instruction |  |  | time |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Select the response consistent with the established facts.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:2
# text = Select the response consistent with the established facts.
1	Select	select	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	established	establish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	facts	fact	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **select** | imperative | you *not said here* | the response |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent response=Theme |
| 2 | **establish** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78-1-1 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Pivot |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The number is not to be counted, though the displeasure is genuine

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:o1:1
# text = The number is not to be counted, though the displeasure is genuine
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	counted	count	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	displeasure	displeasure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	genuine	genuine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | present · passive |  | the number |  |  |  | count *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | the displeasure |  |  |  |  | genuine *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The parent is engaged in an exercise of arithmetic

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:o2:1
# text = The parent is engaged in an exercise of arithmetic
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	engaged	engage	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	exercise	exercise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	arithmetic	arithmetic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **engage** | present · passive |  | the parent |  |  |  | in a exercise of arithmetic *goal* | vn involve-107.1 «NP V NP PP.goal»: subject=Theme in exercise=Goal |
| 2 | **exercise** |  |  | arithmetic |  |  |  |  | nom exercise «act transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The instruction has in fact been issued on one million occasions

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:o3:1
# text = The instruction has in fact been issued on one million occasions
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	instruction	instruction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	fact	fact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	issued	issue	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	compound	_	_
10	million	million	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	occasions	occasion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the instruction |  |  | fact |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **issue** | participle · passive |  | fact *not said here* |  | million occasions |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: on occasion=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The statement is false and may accordingly be disregarded

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole:e2:o4:1
# text = The statement is false and may accordingly be disregarded
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
6	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
7	accordingly	accordingly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	disregarded	disregard	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 | **is** | present | the statement |  |  |  |  | false *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **disregard** | may · passive | the statement *not said here* |  |  |  |  | accordingly *property* | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP» |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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- ↑ back to [Starving, a million times and a ton: everyday hyperbole](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/44-starving-a-million-times-and-a-ton-everyday-hyperbole/)