---
title: Which of the following most accurately characterises the findings of… — Pretend, cover stories and lies that b… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following most accurately characterises the findings of the 2016 University College London study concerning repeated self-serving falsehoods? Exam question 1 of lesson 85 «Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with th
---

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# Exam question 1 · Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following most accurately characterises the findings of the 2016 University College London study concerning repeated self-serving falsehoods?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** 2016 University study · **What happens:** follow, characteris, concern, repeat, serve, find · **To what, where:** findings, repeated serving falsehoods, 2016 University study

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 85 «Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e1:1
# text = Which of the following most accurately characterises the findings of the 2016 University College London study concerning repeated self-serving falsehoods?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
6	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	findings	finding	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
12	2016	2016	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	16	nummod	_	_
13	University	University	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
14	College	College	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	_
15	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	_
16	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
17	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	acl	_	_
18	repeated	repeat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	22	amod	_	_
19	self	self	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	serving	serve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	22	amod	_	_
22	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the findings of the 2016 University study |  |  |  | accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **concern** | gerund | the 2016 University study *not said here* | repeated serving falsehoods |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus falsehood=Experiencer |
| 4 | **repeat** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 5 | **serve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-2 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **find** |  |  | the 2016 University study |  |  |  |  | nom finding «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The alarm response of the brain diminished with each repetition, and the falsehoods progressively increased in magnitude

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e1:o1:1
# text = The alarm response of the brain diminished with each repetition, and the falsehoods progressively increased in magnitude
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	alarm	alarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	diminished	diminish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	repetition	repetition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	progressively	progressively	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	increased	increase	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
17	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	magnitude	magnitude	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | participle |  | the brain *not said here* |  |  |  | with each repetition | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **increase** | participle · passive | the alarm response of the brain *not said here* | the falsehoods |  | magnitude |  | progressively *property* | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Repeated falsehoods produced no measurable alteration in the brain

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e1:o2:1
# text = Repeated falsehoods produced no measurable alteration in the brain
1	Repeated	repeat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	produced	produce	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	6	det	_	_
5	measurable	measurable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	alteration	alteration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **repeat** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **produce** | past | Repeated falsehoods | no measurable alteration |  | the brain |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent alteration=Result |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Repeated falsehoods were found to improve the participants' memory

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e1:o3:1
# text = Repeated falsehoods were found to improve the participants' memory
1	Repeated	repeat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	improve	improve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	participants	participant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	'	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	memory	memory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **repeat** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |
| 2 | **find** | past · passive |  | Repeated falsehoods |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 3 | **improve** | to-infinitive | Repeated falsehoods *not said here* | the participants's memory |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent memory=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The alarm response of the brain intensified with each repetition, and the falsehoods ceased

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e1:o4:1
# text = The alarm response of the brain intensified with each repetition, and the falsehoods ceased
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	alarm	alarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	intensified	intensify	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	repetition	repetition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	conj	_	_
15	ceased	cease	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **intensify** | participle |  | the brain *not said here* |  |  |  | with each repetition | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with repetition=Instrument |
| 2 | **cease** | participle |  | the falsehoods *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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