---
title: A cartoon shows a kid making both divorced parents happy by secretly… — Parents shouting, parents splitting: i… · tree and pragmatics
description: A cartoon shows a kid making both divorced parents happy by secretly telling each one "I like you best". What's wrong with it? Test 3 · ★ of lesson 12 «Parents shouting, parents splitting: it's not your fault» of the reflection course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics
---

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# Test 3 · ★ · Parents shouting, parents splitting: it's not your fault

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cartoon shows a kid making both divorced parents happy by secretly telling each one "I like you best". What's wrong with it?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** cartoon, kid · **What happens:** show, make, tell, like, be · **To what, where:** kid, divorced parents, one, best · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is test 3 · ★ of lesson 12 «Parents shouting, parents splitting: it's not your fault» of the reflection 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/reflection/12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault/#t3).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A cartoon shows a kid making both divorced parents happy by secretly telling each one "I like you best".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:1
# text = A cartoon shows a kid making both divorced parents happy by secretly telling each one "I like you best".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
7	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det:predet	_	_
8	divorced	divorced	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	parents	parent	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
10	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
11	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
14	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	15	det	_	_
15	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
18	like	like	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	parataxis	_	_
19	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
20	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | a cartoon |  | a kid |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent kid=Recipient |
| 2 | **make** | gerund | a kid *not said here* | both divorced parents |  |  |  | happy *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset parent=Product |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | a cartoon *not said here* | each one |  |  |  | secretly *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S»: agent=Agent one=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 4 | **like** *in a quote* | present | a cartoon *= cartoon* | best |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot good=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:* What's wrong with it?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:2
# text = What's wrong with it?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with cartoon; wrong *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kids should always choose the richer parent

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:o1:1
# text = Kids should always choose the richer parent
1	Kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	choose	choose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	richer	rich	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	amod	_	_
7	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | should | Kids | the richer parent |  |  |  | always *property* | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent parent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing; that's the best way to keep everyone happy

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:o2:1
# text = Nothing; that's the best way to keep everyone happy
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	_
10	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	9	obj	_	_
11	happy	happy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | that | the best way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  | everyone |  |  |  | happy *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent everyone=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's only wrong because the kid might get caught

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:o3:1
# text = It's only wrong because the kid might get caught
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	kid	kid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	get	get	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **catch** | might · passive |  | the kid |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Telling each parent different things makes it worse

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault:t3:o4:1
# text = Telling each parent different things makes it worse
1	Telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	det	_	_
3	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
6	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | different things | each parent |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent parent=Recipient thing=Topic |
| 2 | **make** | present | Telling | parent |  |  |  | bad *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

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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 [Parents shouting, parents splitting: it's not your fault](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/12-parents-shouting-parents-splitting-it-s-not-your-fault/)