---
title: Mum keeps asking about her birthday, and your sister says, "Lying to… — Olympiad dilemmas: friends, truth and… · tree and pragmatics
description: Mum keeps asking about her birthday, and your sister says, "Lying to Mum is always wrong, so tell her!" What is a reasoned answer? Test 8 · ★★ of lesson 99 «Olympiad dilemmas: friends, truth and telling» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics 
---

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# Test 8 · ★★ · Olympiad dilemmas: friends, truth and telling

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum keeps asking about her birthday, and your sister says, "Lying to Mum is always wrong, so tell her!" What is a reasoned answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Mum, sister, Lying · **What happens:** keep, ask, say, lie, be, tell · **To what, where:** Mum, reasoned answer · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★★ of lesson 99 «Olympiad dilemmas: friends, truth and telling» 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/99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling/#t8).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Mum keeps asking about her birthday, and your sister says, "Lying to Mum is always wrong, so tell her!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:1
# text = Mum keeps asking about her birthday, and your sister says, "Lying to Mum is always wrong, so tell her!"
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	birthday	birthday	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
13	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	Lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	19	csubj	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	19	advmod	_	_
19	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
21	so	so	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
23	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	22	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund | Mum *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about Mum's birthday | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V PP.topic whether S»: agent=Agent about birthday=Topic |
| 3 | **say** *speech: express* | present | your sister |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **lie** *in a quote* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to Mum | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | present | Lying |  |  |  |  | always, wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **tell** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  | Mum |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent she=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 a reasoned answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:2
# text = What is a reasoned answer?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	reasoned	reasoned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	answer	answer	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 |  | a reasoned answer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She's right, ruin the surprise now

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:o1:1
# text = She's right, ruin the surprise now
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|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	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	ruin	ruin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **ruin** | infinitive | She *not said here* | the surprise |  |  | now |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent surprise=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lie loudly so Mum stops asking

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:o2:1
# text = Lie loudly so Mum stops asking
1	Lie	lie	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	stops	stop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
6	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | loudly *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **stop** | present | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund | Mum *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Tell Mum to stop asking questions

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:o3:1
# text = Tell Mum to stop asking questions
1	Tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	stop	stop	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
5	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	xcomp	_	_
6	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | Mum |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent mum=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **stop** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund | you *not said here* | questions |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent question=Recipient |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It depends: a dodge keeps the surprise without a lie, and many think a surprise fib is harmless

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:99-olympiad-dilemmas-friends-truth-and-telling:t8:o4:1
# text = It depends: a dodge keeps the surprise without a lie, and many think a surprise fib is harmless
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	depends	depend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dodge	dodge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	without	without	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	nsubj	_	_
15	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	fib	fib	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
20	harmless	harmless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **depend** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **keep** | present | a dodge | the surprise |  |  |  | without a lie | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent surprise=Theme |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | present | many |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | a surprise fib |  |  |  |  | harmless *property* | 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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