---
title: It is asserted that «8 out of 10 owners» preferred a certain cat foo… — The best ever and shocking: adverts an… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is asserted that «8 out of 10 owners» preferred a certain cat food. Ascertain which question is most pertinent in evaluating the claim. Exam question 4 of lesson 47 «The best ever and shocking: adverts and headlines» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pr
---

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# Exam question 4 · The best ever and shocking: adverts and headlines

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is asserted that «8 out of 10 owners» preferred a certain cat food. Ascertain which question is most pertinent in evaluating the claim.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** 8 owners, you, question · **What happens:** assert, prefer, ascertain, be, evaluate · **To what, where:** It, certain cat food, claim

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 47 «The best ever and shocking: adverts and headlines» 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/47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines/#e4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is asserted that «8 out of 10 owners» preferred a certain cat food.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:1
# text = It is asserted that «8 out of 10 owners» preferred a certain cat food.
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	asserted	assert	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
7	out	out	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	6	nmod	_	_
10	owners	owner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	preferred	prefer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
14	certain	certain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
15	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **assert** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **prefer** | past | 8 owners | a certain cat food |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer food=Stimulus |

<!-- .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:* Ascertain which question is most pertinent in evaluating the claim.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:2
# text = Ascertain which question is most pertinent in evaluating the claim.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	6	advmod	_	_
6	pertinent	pertinent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	ccomp	_	_
7	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	evaluating	evaluate	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | which question |  |  |  |  | pertinent *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **evaluate** | gerund | which question *not said here* | the claim |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent claim=Theme |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many owners were consulted, and by whom

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:o1:1
# text = How many owners were consulted, and by whom
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	owners	owner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	consulted	consult	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	whom	whom	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **consult** | past · passive |  | many owners |  |  |  |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whether the claim is printed in capital letters

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:o2:1
# text = Whether the claim is printed in capital letters
1	Whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	claim	claim	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	printed	print	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	capital	capital	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	letters	letter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **print** | present · passive |  | the claim |  | capital letters |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in letter=Destination |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whether the remaining owners possess cats

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:o3:1
# text = Whether the remaining owners possess cats
1	Whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	remaining	remain	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	amod	_	_
4	owners	owner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	cats	cat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remain** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **possess** | present | the remaining owners | cats |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot cat=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whether eight is a greater number than ten

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines:e4:o4:1
# text = Whether eight is a greater number than ten
1	Whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	greater	great	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | eight | a greater number |  |  |  | than ten | 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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- ↑ back to [The best ever and shocking: adverts and headlines](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/language/47-the-best-ever-and-shocking-adverts-and-headlines/)