---
title: Identify the principal reason for which touch screens fail to respon… — Phones and computer chips · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which touch screens fail to respond to most gloved fingers. Exam question 2 of lesson 9 «Phones and computer chips» of the technology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was wrong
---

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# Exam question 2 · Phones and computer chips

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which touch screens fail to respond to most gloved fingers.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, touch screens · **What happens:** identify, fail, not respond, glove · **To what, where:** principal reason

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 9 «Phones and computer chips» of the technology 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/technology/9-phones-and-computer-chips/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:9-phones-and-computer-chips:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which touch screens fail to respond to most gloved fingers.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	obl	_	_
7	touch	touch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	screens	screen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	fail	fail	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	respond	respond	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	15	amod	_	_
14	gloved	glove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	amod	_	_
15	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **fail** | present | touch screens |  |  |  |  | for the principal reason | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **not** **respond** *speech: other* | to-infinitive | touch screens *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to most gloved fingers | vn respond-113 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to finger=Theme |
| 4 | **glove** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The screen responds only to the sound of a tap

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:9-phones-and-computer-chips:e2:o1:1
# text = The screen responds only to the sound of a tap
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	screen	screen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	responds	respond	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	tap	tap	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **respond** *speech: other* | present | the screen | the sound of a tap |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent sound=Topic |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gloves are too heavy for the screen to register

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:9-phones-and-computer-chips:e2:o2:1
# text = Gloves are too heavy for the screen to register
1	Gloves	glove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	too	too	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	screen	screen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	register	register	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Gloves |  |  |  |  | for the screen; heavy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **register** | to-infinitive | Gloves *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn patent-101 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The screen responds solely to the warmth of a finger, and gloved fingers are invariably too cold

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:9-phones-and-computer-chips:e2:o3:1
# text = The screen responds solely to the warmth of a finger, and gloved fingers are invariably too cold
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	screen	screen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	responds	respond	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	solely	solely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	warmth	warmth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	finger	finger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
13	gloved	glove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	fingers	finger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nsubj	_	_
15	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
16	invariably	invariably	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
17	too	too	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **respond** *speech: other* | present | the screen |  |  |  |  | to the warmth of a finger; solely *property* | vn respond-113 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to warmth=Theme |
| 2 | **glove** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | present | gloved fingers |  |  |  |  | cold, invariably *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The screen detects a small electrical change produced by the skin, which gloves obstruct

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:9-phones-and-computer-chips:e2:o4:1
# text = The screen detects a small electrical change produced by the skin, which gloves obstruct
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	screen	screen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	detects	detect	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
6	electrical	electrical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	produced	produce	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	14	det	_	_
14	gloves	glove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
15	obstruct	obstruct	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detect** | present | the screen | a small electrical change |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer change=Stimulus |
| 2 | **produce** | participle |  | a small electrical change *not said here* |  |  |  | by the skin | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **obstruct** | present | which gloves |  |  |  |  |  | vn discourage-64.5-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Causer |

<!-- 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: [Phones and computer chips, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/9-phones-and-computer-chips/e1/)
- next →: [Phones and computer chips, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/9-phones-and-computer-chips/e3/)
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