---
title: Grumpy Grandad lived to 95 and kind Mrs Lee died at 50. A boy in New… — Is it fair? Why bad things happen to g… · tree and pragmatics
description: Grumpy Grandad lived to 95 and kind Mrs Lee died at 50. A boy in Newcastle says, «Being nice is pointless then, howay» (howay = come on). Which is the best reasoning? Test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 75 «Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, 
---

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# Test 4 · ★★★ · Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grumpy Grandad lived to 95 and kind Mrs Lee died at 50. A boy in Newcastle says, «Being nice is pointless then, howay» (howay = come on). Which is the best reasoning?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Grumpy Grandad, kind Mrs Lee, boy · **What happens:** live, die, say, be, come on · **To what, where:** 50, best reasoning · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★★★ of lesson 75 «Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Grumpy Grandad lived to 95 and kind Mrs Lee died at 50.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:1
# text = Grumpy Grandad lived to 95 and kind Mrs Lee died at 50.
1	Grumpy	grumpy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	95	95	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	Mrs	Mrs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	Lee	Lee	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	50	50	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | past | Grumpy Grandad |  |  |  |  | to 95 | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **die** | past | kind Mrs Lee |  |  | 50 |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

<!-- .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:* A boy in Newcastle says, «Being nice is pointless then, howay» (howay = come on).

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:2
# text = A boy in Newcastle says, «Being nice is pointless then, howay» (howay = come on).
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Newcastle	Newcastle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	cop	_	_
9	nice	nice	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	csubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	pointless	pointless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	ccomp	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	howay	howay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	_
16	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	howay	howay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	appos	_	_
18	=	=	SYM	SYM	_	19	punct	_	_
19	come	come	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	17	appos	_	_
20	on	on	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | a boy in Newcastle |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | nice *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  | then | pointless *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **come on** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Which is the best reasoning?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:3
# text = Which is the best reasoning?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
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	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	5	amod	_	_
5	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Goodness isn't paid in years; it's worth it for its own sake

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:o1:1
# text = Goodness isn't paid in years; it's worth it for its own sake
1	Goodness	goodness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	paid	pay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	worth	worth	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
14	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	sake	sake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **pay** | present · passive |  | Goodness |  |  | year | for Goodness's own sake | vn pay-68-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Asset for sake=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | Goodness |  |  |  |  | worth *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mrs Lee must have secretly been bad

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:o2:1
# text = Mrs Lee must have secretly been bad
1	Mrs	Mrs	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	Lee	Lee	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	flat	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	cop	_	_
7	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | must | Mrs |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | participle | Mrs *not said here* |  |  |  |  | bad, secretly *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kind people always live longer really

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:o3:1
# text = Kind people always live longer really
1	Kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	4	advmod	_	_
4	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	4	advmod	_	_
6	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | Kind people |  |  |  |  | always, long *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right; only grumpy people live long, so being kind is a waste of time

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:t4:o4:1
# text = He's right; only grumpy people live long, so being kind is a waste of time
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	grumpy	grumpy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	cop	_	_
13	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	waste	waste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | grumpy people |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **is a** | present |  | a right waste |  |  | time |  | 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 -->

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