---
title: A Scottish uncle says, "Wee library's shut on Saturdays, budget cuts… — Taxes and local councils: bins, roads… · tree and pragmatics
description: A Scottish uncle says, "Wee library's shut on Saturdays, budget cuts, it's pure dreich." ("Dreich" means grey and gloomy.) What does "budget cuts" mean? Test 11 of lesson 8 «Taxes and local councils: bins, roads and schools» of the politics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree a
---

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# Test 11 · Taxes and local councils: bins, roads and schools

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A Scottish uncle says, "Wee library's shut on Saturdays, budget cuts, it's pure dreich." ("Dreich" means grey and gloomy.) What does "budget cuts" mean?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Scottish uncle, it, Dreich, budget cuts · **What happens:** say, shut, be, mean · **To what, where:** Wee library, pure dreich, grey · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 11 of lesson 8 «Taxes and local councils: bins, roads and schools» 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/8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools/#t11).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A Scottish uncle says, "Wee library's shut on Saturdays, budget cuts, it's pure dreich."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:1
# text = A Scottish uncle says, "Wee library's shut on Saturdays, budget cuts, it's pure dreich."
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Scottish	Scottish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	uncle	uncle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Wee	wee	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	shut	shut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Saturdays	Saturday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	10	obl:agent	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	budget	budget	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	cuts	cut	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
19	pure	pure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	dreich	dreich	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a Scottish uncle | Wee library and budget cuts |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent library=Topic |
| 2 | **shut** *in a quote* | participle |  | Wee library and budget cuts *not said here* |  |  | saturday |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | it | pure dreich |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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:* ("Dreich" means grey and gloomy.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:2
# text = ("Dreich" means grey and gloomy.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Dreich	Dreich	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	gloomy	gloomy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Dreich | grey |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grey=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What does "budget cuts" mean?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:3
# text = What does "budget cuts" mean?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	7	obj	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	budget	budget	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	cuts	cut	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
7	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present · do-support | budget cuts |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The library has run out of books to lend

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:o1:1
# text = The library has run out of books to lend
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	run	run	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	out	out	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	lend	lend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run** | present · perfect · passive |  | the library |  | books |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: subject=Theme out book=Trajectory |
| 2 | **lend** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The budget was cut into pieces with scissors

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:o2:1
# text = The budget was cut into pieces with scissors
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	budget	budget	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	pieces	piece	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	scissors	scissors	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | past · passive |  | the budget |  |  |  | into pieces *result*; with scissors | vn cut-21.1-1 «NP V NP PP.result PP.instrument»: subject=Patient into piece=Result with scissors=Instrument |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The council is spending less money than before

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:o3:1
# text = The council is spending less money than before
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	council	council	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	spending	spend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	amod	_	_
6	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	than	than	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	before	before	ADV	RB	_	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spend** | present · progressive | the council | less money |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Asset |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The library was closed because of the weather

```conllu
# sent_id = question:politics:8-taxes-and-local-councils-bins-roads-and-schools:t11:o4:1
# text = The library was closed because of the weather
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	library	library	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	closed	close	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	8	case	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	weather	weather	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **close** | past · passive |  | the library |  |  |  | because the weather | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- 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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