---
title: ★★★ Dad says «a touch of drizzle» about a hurricane, and Gran says «… — ★★★ Olympiad: hyperbole and downplayin… · tree and pragmatics
description: ★★★ Dad says «a touch of drizzle» about a hurricane, and Gran says «bit of a wait» at a bus stop after twenty minutes. What is different? Test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 55 «★★★ Olympiad: hyperbole and downplaying puzzles» of the language course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmati
---

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# Test 4 · ★★★ · ★★★ Olympiad: hyperbole and downplaying puzzles

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
★★★ Dad says «a touch of drizzle» about a hurricane, and Gran says «bit of a wait» at a bus stop after twenty minutes. What is different?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** ★, Gran · **What happens:** say, touch, be · **To what, where:** touch, bit, bus stop, drizzle · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 55 «★★★ Olympiad: hyperbole and downplaying puzzles» of the language 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/language/55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* ★★★ Dad says «a touch of drizzle» about a hurricane, and Gran says «bit of a wait» at a bus stop after twenty minutes.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:1
# text = ★★★ Dad says «a touch of drizzle» about a hurricane, and Gran says «bit of a wait» at a bus stop after twenty minutes.
1	★	★	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	★	★	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	★	★	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
4	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	touch	touch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	drizzle	drizzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
12	about	about	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	hurricane	hurricane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
19	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	wait	wait	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	_
25	at	at	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
27	bus	bus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	28	compound	_	_
28	stop	stop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
29	after	after	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
30	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	31	nummod	_	_
31	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | ★ | a touch of drizzle |  |  |  | about a hurricane | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent touch=Topic |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Gran | bit of a wait |  | a bus stop | minute |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent bit=Topic |
| 3 | **touch** *in a quote* |  |  | drizzle |  |  |  |  | nom touch «event transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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:* What is different?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:2
# text = What is different?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	different	different	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 |  |  |  |  |  | different *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad's is a joke he expects you to see through; Gran's is a calm playing-down

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:o1:1
# text = Dad's is a joke he expects you to see through; Gran's is a calm playing-down
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	expects	expect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
11	through	through	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
13	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	13	case	_	_
15	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
17	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
18	playing	playing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	down	down	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Dad's joke |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **expect** | present | he | you |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **see through** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | through *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is a** | present |  | Gran's calm playing down |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad's is understatement, and Gran's is sarcasm meaning the opposite

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:o2:1
# text = Dad's is understatement, and Gran's is sarcasm meaning the opposite
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	understatement	understatement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	sarcasm	sarcasm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	_
11	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	opposite	opposite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Dad's understatement |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | Gran's sarcasm |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **mean** | gerund | Gran's sarcasm *not said here* | the opposite |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent opposite=Topic |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dad believes it is drizzle; Gran believes the wait was short

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:o3:1
# text = Dad believes it is drizzle; Gran believes the wait was short
1	Dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	believes	believe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	drizzle	drizzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	Gran	Gran	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	believes	believe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	wait	wait	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | Dad |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | drizzle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **believe** | present | Gran |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is** | past | the wait |  |  |  |  | short *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both are hyperbole that makes things bigger than they really are

```conllu
# sent_id = question:language:55-olympiad-hyperbole-and-downplaying-puzzles:t4:o4:1
# text = Both are hyperbole that makes things bigger than they really are
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	hyperbole	hyperbole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
7	bigger	big	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	xcomp	_	_
8	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
10	really	really	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | both hyperbole |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | both hyperbole | things |  |  |  | big *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset thing=Product |
| 3 | **does** | present | things *= thing* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=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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