---
title: Your cousin says, "White lies are always fine, everyone tells them."… — White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba… · tree and pragmatics
description: Your cousin says, "White lies are always fine, everyone tells them." What is the most accurate reply? Test 1 of lesson 83 «White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each opti
---

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# Test 1 · White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your cousin says, "White lies are always fine, everyone tells them." What is the most accurate reply?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** cousin, White lies, everyone, accurate reply · **What happens:** say, be, tell · **To what, where:** lies · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 83 «White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing» 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/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Your cousin says, "White lies are always fine, everyone tells them."

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:1
# text = Your cousin says, "White lies are always fine, everyone tells them."
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	White	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
8	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	10	advmod	_	_
10	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	13	nsubj	_	_
13	tells	tell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	parataxis	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Your cousin |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | White lies |  |  |  |  | always, fine *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | everyone |  | lies *= lie* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent they=Recipient |

<!-- .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 is the most accurate reply?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:2
# text = What is the most accurate reply?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	5	advmod	_	_
5	accurate	accurate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only grown-ups are allowed to tell white lies

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:o1:1
# text = Only grown-ups are allowed to tell white lies
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
2	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	ups	up	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	allowed	allow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **allow** | present · passive |  | grown ups |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP S»: subject=Beneficiary clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | grown ups *not said here* | white lies |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent lie=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Everyone agrees white lies are always fine

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:o2:1
# text = Everyone agrees white lies are always fine
1	Everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
7	fine	fine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | Everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | white lies |  |  |  |  | always, fine *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Everyone agrees all white lies are terrible sins, and that is why the Bible lists them with the other commandments

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:o3:1
# text = Everyone agrees all white lies are terrible sins, and that is why the Bible lists them with the other commandments
1	Everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	all	all	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
4	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
6	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	terrible	terrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	sins	sin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	16	advmod	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	lists	list	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
17	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	_
18	with	with	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	commandments	commandment	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | Everyone |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | white lies | terrible sins |  |  |  | all *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | why *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **list** | present | the Bible | sins *= sin* |  |  |  | with the other commandments | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Thinkers disagree; many say small lies add up, and you can usually find a true kind thing

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:t1:o4:1
# text = Thinkers disagree; many say small lies add up, and you can usually find a true kind thing
1	Thinkers	thinker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	disagree	disagree	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
4	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
6	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	add	add	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
17	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
18	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **disagree** | present | Thinkers |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | many |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **add up** *speech: assert* | present | small lies |  |  |  |  |  | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **find** | can | you | a true kind thing |  |  |  | usually *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Topic |

<!-- 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: [Trust that breaks and takes long to mend, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/82-trust-that-breaks-and-takes-long-to-mend/e4/)
- next →: [White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/t2/)
- ↑ back to [White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/)