---
title: It is given that one politician proposed a modest reduction in milit… — The politician's either-or and the str… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is given that one politician proposed a modest reduction in military expenditure and that her opponent subsequently characterised the proposal as the abolition of all defence. Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the opponent's reply? Exam question 2 of lesson 178 «The 
---

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# Exam question 2 · The politician's either-or and the straw man

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is given that one politician proposed a modest reduction in military expenditure and that her opponent subsequently characterised the proposal as the abolition of all defence. Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the opponent's reply?

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**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** one politician, opponent · **What happens:** give, propose, characteris, abolish, follow, reply · **To what, where:** It, modest reduction, military expenditure, proposal, defence, reply

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This is exam question 2 of lesson 178 «The politician's either-or and the straw man» of the world 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/world/178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man/#e2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is given that one politician proposed a modest reduction in military expenditure and that her opponent subsequently characterised the proposal as the abolition of all defence.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:1
# text = It is given that one politician proposed a modest reduction in military expenditure and that her opponent subsequently characterised the proposal as the abolition of all defence.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	politician	politician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	modest	modest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	reduction	reduction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	military	military	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	expenditure	expenditure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
15	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
16	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	opponent	opponent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
18	subsequently	subsequently	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	characterised	characteris	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
22	as	as	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	abolition	abolition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	27	det	_	_
27	defence	defence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **propose** | past | one politician | a modest reduction |  | military expenditure |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reduction=Theme |
| 3 | **characteris** | past | politician's opponent | the proposal |  |  |  | as the abolition of all defence; subsequently *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **abolish** |  |  | all defence |  |  |  |  | nom abolition «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 of the following statements most accurately characterises the opponent's reply?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:2
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the opponent's reply?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	opponent	opponent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the opponent's reply |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **reply** |  | the opponent |  |  |  |  |  | nom reply «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an appeal to the popularity of the proposal

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:o1:1
# text = It is an appeal to the popularity of the proposal
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	appeal	appeal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	popularity	popularity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a appeal |  |  |  | to the popularity of the proposal | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It restates the proposal accurately before disagreeing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:o2:1
# text = It restates the proposal accurately before disagreeing
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	restates	restate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	disagreeing	disagree	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **restate** | present | It | the proposal |  |  |  | accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **disagree** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a legitimate inference from the proposal

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:o3:1
# text = It is a legitimate inference from the proposal
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	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	legitimate	legitimate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	inference	inference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a legitimate inference |  | the proposal |  |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It attacks a distorted version of the proposal rather than the proposal itself

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:178-the-politicians-either-or-and-the-straw-man:e2:o4:1
# text = It attacks a distorted version of the proposal rather than the proposal itself
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	attacks	attack	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	distorted	distort	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	version	version	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	rather	rather	ADV	RB	ExtPos=CCONJ	12	cc	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	proposal	proposal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
13	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	12	nmod:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attack** | present | It | a distorted version of the proposal rather the proposal  version |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent version=Patient |
| 2 | **distort** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP.material V PP.product»: agent=Material |

<!-- 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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