---
title: Holly's mate goes, "Kira's mum is ill, so let her be mean, it's fine… — Reading people in hard times: what's r… · tree and pragmatics
description: Holly's mate goes, "Kira's mum is ill, so let her be mean, it's fine." What's the better balance? Test 7 · ★★ 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 the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/t7/)

<!-- 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/) / [Reflection](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/) / [Reading people in hard times: what's r…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/) / t7

# Test 7 · ★★ · Reading people in hard times: what's really behind the mea…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Holly's mate goes, "Kira's mum is ill, so let her be mean, it's fine." What's the better balance?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** mate, mum, better balance · **What happens:** go, be, let · **To what, where:** mate

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★★ 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/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Holly's mate goes, "Kira's mum is ill, so let her be mean, it's fine."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:1
# text = Holly's mate goes, "Kira's mum is ill, so let her be mean, it's fine."
1	Holly	Holly	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	mate	mate	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	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	Kira	Kira	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
15	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	cop	_	_
17	mean	mean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
21	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go** | present | Holly's mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7 «NP V S-Quote»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Kira's mum |  |  |  |  | ill *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **let** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | mate |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent she=Theme |
| 4 | **is** *in a quote* | infinitive | mate *not said here* |  |  |  |  | mean *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | fine *property* | 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:* What's the better balance?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:2
# text = What's the better balance?
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	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	amod	_	_
5	balance	balance	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 better balance |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be kind to Kira, but still tell her to stop being mean

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:o1:1
# text = Be kind to Kira, but still tell her to stop being mean
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Kira	Kira	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	still	still	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
9	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	iobj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
12	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	cop	_	_
13	mean	mean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | imperative | you *not said here* |  | Kira |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  |  | Kira |  | still |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **stop** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 4 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | mean *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Be mean back so Kira learns her lesson

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:o2:1
# text = Be mean back so Kira learns her lesson
1	Be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	cop	_	_
2	mean	mean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	csubj	_	_
3	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	Kira	Kira	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	learns	learn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | mean *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **learn** | present | Kira | Kira's lesson |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lesson=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tell everyone so they all avoid Kira

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:o3:1
# text = Tell everyone so they all avoid Kira
1	Tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	1	iobj	_	_
3	so	so	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	_
6	avoid	avoid	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
7	Kira	Kira	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | everyone |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent everyone=Recipient |
| 2 | **avoid** | present | they | Kira |  |  |  |  | vn avoid-52 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent kira=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let Kira be mean because she's sad

```conllu
# sent_id = question:reflection:28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face:t7:o4:1
# text = Let Kira be mean because she's sad
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	Kira	Kira	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	mean	mean	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | Kira |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kira=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | infinitive | Kira *not said here* |  |  |  |  | mean *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | Kira |  |  |  |  | sad *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [Reading people in hard times: what's r…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/t6/)
- next →: [Reading people in hard times: what's r…, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/reflection/28-reading-people-in-hard-times-whats-really-behind-the-mean-face/t8/)
- ↑ 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/)