---
title: Two piles of the same stones: one built as an arch, one as a flat be… — Bridges and skyscrapers · tree and pragmatics
description: Two piles of the same stones: one built as an arch, one as a flat beam laid across the gap with no support in the middle. Which carries more weight? Test 8 · ★★★ of lesson 30 «Bridges and skyscrapers» of the technology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the q
---

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# Test 8 · ★★★ · Bridges and skyscrapers

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two piles of the same stones: one built as an arch, one as a flat beam laid across the gap with no support in the middle. Which carries more weight?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **What happens:** build, lay, carry · **To what, where:** flat beam, gap, more weight

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★★★ of lesson 30 «Bridges and skyscrapers» of the technology 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/technology/30-bridges-and-skyscrapers/#t8).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Two piles of the same stones: one built as an arch, one as a flat beam laid across the gap with no support in the middle.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:1
# text = Two piles of the same stones: one built as an arch, one as a flat beam laid across the gap with no support in the middle.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
8	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
9	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	arch	arch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	conj	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	beam	beam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	laid	lay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl	_	_
20	across	across	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	gap	gap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	_
23	with	with	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	25	det	_	_
25	support	support	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	_
26	in	in	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	middle	middle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | as a arch | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **lay** | participle |  | a flat beam *not said here* |  | the gap with no support in the middle |  |  | vn create-26.4 «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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Which carries more weight?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:2
# text = Which carries more weight?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carries	carry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | present |  | more weight |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent weight=Theme |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The arch, because it pushes the weight down into its ends

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:o1:1
# text = The arch, because it pushes the weight down into its ends
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	arch	arch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	pushes	push	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	down	down	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
10	into	into	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	ends	end	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push down** | present | the arch | the weight |  |  | into arch's ends | down *property* | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent weight=Theme into end=Destination |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both carry exactly the same

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:o2:1
# text = Both carry exactly the same
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carry	carry	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | present | Both | the same |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent same=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither can carry any weight

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:o3:1
# text = Neither can carry any weight
1	Neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	carry	carry	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	5	det	_	_
5	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | can |  | any weight |  |  |  | neither *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent weight=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The flat beam, because it has more stone on top and the weight sits straight down

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:30-bridges-and-skyscrapers:t8:o4:1
# text = The flat beam, because it has more stone on top and the weight sits straight down
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	beam	beam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
8	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	amod	_	_
9	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	sits	sit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
16	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	down	down	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | beam | more stone |  | top |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent stone=Patient |
| 2 | **sit** | present | the weight |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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