---
title: Why is the old helmet Finn's uncle shows him blue? — Why wars happen and why they are hard… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why is the old helmet Finn's uncle shows him blue? Test 8 of lesson 23 «Why wars happen and why they are hard to stop; the UN and NATO» of the politics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/t8/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Politics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/) / [Why wars happen and why they are hard…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/) / t8

# Test 8 · Why wars happen and why they are hard to stop; the UN and…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why is the old helmet Finn's uncle shows him blue?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** uncle · **What happens:** be, show · **To what, where:** old helmet, Finn

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 of lesson 23 «Why wars happen and why they are hard to stop; the UN and NATO» of the politics 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/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/#t8).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato:t8:1
# text = Why is the old helmet Finn's uncle shows him blue?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	helmet	helmet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
6	Finn	Finn	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	iobj	_	_
11	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the old helmet |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **show** | present | Finn's uncle |  | Finn |  |  | blue *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue is the colour of the Irish army only, so all its helmets are blue

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato:t8:o1:1
# text = Blue is the colour of the Irish army only, so all its helmets are blue
1	Blue	Blue	ADJ	NNP	Degree=Pos	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Irish	Irish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
12	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	14	det:predet	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	helmets	helmet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
15	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Blue | the colour |  |  |  | of the Irish army | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | army's helmets |  |  |  |  | blue *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue helmets mean the soldier is a general

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato:t8:o2:1
# text = Blue helmets mean the soldier is a general
1	Blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	helmets	helmet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	soldier	soldier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	general	general	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Blue helmets |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | the soldier |  |  |  |  | general *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue helmets show they are UN peacekeepers, not fighting for a side

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato:t8:o3:1
# text = Blue helmets show they are UN peacekeepers, not fighting for a side
1	Blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	helmets	helmet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	show	show	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	UN	UN	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	peacekeepers	peacekeeper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	fighting	fight	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	parataxis	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	side	side	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | Blue helmets |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | helmets *= helmet* | UN peacekeepers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **fight** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for a side | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue helmets are made of a special metal that stops all bullets

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato:t8:o4:1
# text = Blue helmets are made of a special metal that stops all bullets
1	Blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	helmets	helmet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	metal	metal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	bullets	bullet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | Blue helmets |  |  |  | of a special metal | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 2 | **stop** | present | a special metal | all bullets |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality bullet=Eventuality |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Why wars happen and why they are hard…, test 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/t7/)
- next →: [Why wars happen and why they are hard…, test 9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/t9/)
- ↑ back to [Why wars happen and why they are hard to stop; the UN and NATO](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/politics/23-why-wars-happen-the-un-and-nato/)