---
title: Ascertain which statement concerning the frequency of lying is consi… — Pretend, cover stories and lies that b… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain which statement concerning the frequency of lying is consistent with the 2010 study cited. Exam question 4 of lesson 85 «Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and o
---

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# Exam question 4 · Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain which statement concerning the frequency of lying is consistent with the 2010 study cited.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, concerning, 2010 study · **What happens:** ascertain, concern, be, cite · **To what, where:** statement, frequency

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e4:1
# text = Ascertain which statement concerning the frequency of lying is consistent with the 2010 study cited.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	csubj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	frequency	frequency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	lying	lying	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	acl	_	_
11	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	2010	2010	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	14	nummod	_	_
14	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	cited	cite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | which statement |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent statement=Topic |
| 2 | **concern** | gerund |  | the frequency of lying |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus frequency=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present | concerning | which statement *not said here* |  |  |  | consistent *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **cite** | past | the 2010 study |  |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No person told any falsehood throughout the period of the study

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e4:o1:1
# text = No person told any falsehood throughout the period of the study
1	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	falsehood	falsehood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	iobj	_	_
6	throughout	throughout	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	period	period	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	study	study	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | no person |  | any falsehood |  | throughout the period of the study |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent falsehood=Recipient |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The majority of persons told few or no falsehoods on a given day, a small minority accounting for half of all falsehoods

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e4:o2:1
# text = The majority of persons told few or no falsehoods on a given day, a small minority accounting for half of all falsehoods
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	majority	majority	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	persons	person	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	few	few	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	no	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	9	discourse	_	_
9	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	amod	_	_
13	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
17	minority	minority	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	accounting	accounting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	half	half	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing|NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac	18	nmod	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	23	det	_	_
23	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | participle |  | persons or falsehoods on a given day *not said here* |  |  |  | few *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Children were found to be responsible for the entirety of falsehoods recorded

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e4:o3:1
# text = Children were found to be responsible for the entirety of falsehoods recorded
1	Children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
6	responsible	responsible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	entirety	entirety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
12	recorded	record	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past · passive |  | Children |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive | Children *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for the entirety of falsehoods; responsible *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **record** | participle |  | falsehoods *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Every person told numerous falsehoods each day without exception

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits:e4:o4:1
# text = Every person told numerous falsehoods each day without exception
1	Every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	numerous	numerous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	without	without	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	exception	exception	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | every person | numerous falsehoods |  |  | day | without exception | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent falsehood=Recipient |

<!-- 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: [Pretend, cover stories and lies that b…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits/e3/)
- next →: [Keeping promises, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/86-keeping-promises/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Pretend, cover stories and lies that become habits](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/85-pretend-cover-stories-and-lies-that-become-habits/)