---
title: Kyle's brother goes, "Dev's being a right muppet, just ghost him." (… — Reading people in hard times: what's r… · tree and pragmatics
description: Kyle's brother goes, "Dev's being a right muppet, just ghost him." ("Ghost" means stop talking to someone without saying why.) What's the wiser view? Test 1 · ★★ of lesson 28 «Reading people in hard times: what's really behind the mean face» of the reflection course of Mova's primary school, with th
---

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# Test 1 · ★★ · Reading people in hard times: what's really behind the mea…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kyle's brother goes, "Dev's being a right muppet, just ghost him." ("Ghost" means stop talking to someone without saying why.) What's the wiser view?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** brother, Dev, Ghost, wiser view · **What happens:** go, be, mean, stop, talk, say · **To what, where:** right muppet · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★★ of lesson 28 «Reading people in hard times: what's really behind the mean face» 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/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Kyle's brother goes, "Dev's being a right muppet, just ghost him."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:1
# text = Kyle's brother goes, "Dev's being a right muppet, just ghost him."
1	Kyle	Kyle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Dev	Dev	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	muppet	muppet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	just	just	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
16	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | Kyle's brother |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** *in a quote* | present | Dev | a right muppet and ghost |  |  |  |  | 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:* ("Ghost" means stop talking to someone without saying why.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:2
# text = ("Ghost" means stop talking to someone without saying why.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	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	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
7	talking	talk	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obl	_	_
10	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	saying	say	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
12	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Ghost |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **stop** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **talk** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to someone | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to someone=Co-Agent |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* What's the wiser view?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:3
# text = What's the wiser view?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	wiser	wise	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	amod	_	_
5	view	view	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the wiser view |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His brother is right; ghosting fixes everything

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:o1:1
# text = His brother is right; ghosting fixes everything
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	ghosting	ghost	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
7	fixes	fix	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
8	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | His brother |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **ghost** | gerund | His brother *not said here* | fixes |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Something hard may be going on; stay around and be kind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:o2:1
# text = Something hard may be going on; stay around and be kind
1	Something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
2	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	amod	_	_
3	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
5	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	stay	stay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	parataxis	_	_
9	around	around	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	cop	_	_
12	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go on** | may · progressive | Something |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **stay around** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | around *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kyle should demand Dev says sorry first

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:o3:1
# text = Kyle should demand Dev says sorry first
1	Kyle	Kyle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	demand	demand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	Dev	Dev	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
6	sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	3	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **demand** *speech: request* | should | Kyle |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Precondition |
| 2 | **say** *speech: apologize* | present | Dev |  |  |  |  | sorry *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kyle should snap at Dev even harder

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t1:o4:1
# text = Kyle should snap at Dev even harder
1	Kyle	Kyle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	snap	snap	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Dev	Dev	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	even	even	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	harder	hard	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **snap** | should | Kyle |  |  | Dev |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at dev=Location |

<!-- 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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- ← previous: [Tricks the mind plays: inner voices, s…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/27-tricks-the-mind-plays-inner-voices-superstitions-and-being-sure-but-wrong/e4/)
- next →: [Reading people in hard times: what's r…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Reading people in hard times: what's really behind the mean face](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/)