---
title: A cartoon shows a hero who promises a villain to help steal a treasu… — Keeping promises · tree and pragmatics
description: A cartoon shows a hero who promises a villain to help steal a treasure, and keeps the promise "because promises are sacred". What is wrong? Test 9 of lesson 86 «Keeping promises» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of ea
---

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# Test 9 · Keeping promises

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A cartoon shows a hero who promises a villain to help steal a treasure, and keeps the promise "because promises are sacred". What is wrong?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** cartoon, hero, promises · **What happens:** show, promise, help, steal, keep, be · **To what, where:** hero, villain, treasure, promise · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is test 9 of lesson 86 «Keeping promises» 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/86-keeping-promises/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A cartoon shows a hero who promises a villain to help steal a treasure, and keeps the promise "because promises are sacred".

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:1
# text = A cartoon shows a hero who promises a villain to help steal a treasure, and keeps the promise "because promises are sacred".
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	hero	hero	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	promises	promise	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	villain	villain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	help	help	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
12	steal	steal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	treasure	treasure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
22	promises	promise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	nsubj	_	_
23	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	cop	_	_
24	sacred	sacred	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | a cartoon | a hero |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent hero=Recipient |
| 2 | **promise** *speech: promise* | present | a hero | a villain |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent villain=Theme |
| 3 | **help** | to-infinitive | a hero *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **steal** | infinitive | a hero *not said here* | a treasure |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location treasure=Theme |
| 5 | **keep** | present | a cartoon *not said here* | the promise |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent promise=Theme |
| 6 | **is** *in a quote* | present | promises |  |  |  |  | sacred *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 is wrong?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:2
# text = What is wrong?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The hero should have stolen two treasures

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:o1:1
# text = The hero should have stolen two treasures
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	hero	hero	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
5	stolen	steal	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	treasures	treasure	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | should · perfect · passive |  | the hero |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP NP»: subject=Beneficiary treasure=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing; promises must be kept, whatever they are

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:o2:1
# text = Nothing; promises must be kept, whatever they are
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
3	promises	promise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	kept	keep	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	whatever	whatever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	obl:agent	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | must · passive | whatever | Nothing promises |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | promises *= promise* | whatever |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A promise to do something wrong does not bind you

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:o3:1
# text = A promise to do something wrong does not bind you
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	4	obj	_	_
6	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
7	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	bind	bind	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive | a promise *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **bind** | present · do-support | a promise | you |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Heroes never make promises in cartoons

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:86-keeping-promises:t9:o4:1
# text = Heroes never make promises in cartoons
1	Heroes	hero	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	promises	promise	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	cartoons	cartoon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **make** | present | Heroes | promises |  | cartoons |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset promise=Product |

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**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.

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