---
title: A hot-air balloon rises and the passengers are getting cold, though… — Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mo… · tree and pragmatics
description: A hot-air balloon rises and the passengers are getting cold, though they are getting a little closer to the Sun. Why? Test 3 · ★★★ of lesson 50 «Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mountains and deserts» of the world course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the que
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/t3/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [World](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/) / [Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mo…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/) / t3

# Test 3 · ★★★ · Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mountains and deserts

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A hot-air balloon rises and the passengers are getting cold, though they are getting a little closer to the Sun. Why?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** air balloon, passengers · **What happens:** rise, get

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 3 · ★★★ of lesson 50 «Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mountains and deserts» of the world 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/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/#t3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:50-why-the-earth-is-so:t3:1
# text = A hot-air balloon rises and the passengers are getting cold, though they are getting a little closer to the Sun. Why?
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	balloon	balloon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	rises	rise	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	passengers	passenger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	conj	_	_
12	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
15	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
16	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	getting	get	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	conj	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	obl:unmarked	_	_
20	closer	close	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	17	xcomp	_	_
21	to	to	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	Sun.	Sunday	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	_
24	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	20	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | present | a air balloon |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **get** | present · progressive | the passengers |  |  |  |  | cold *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **get** | present · progressive | passengers *= passenger* |  |  |  |  | close *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Being closer to the Sun always makes things colder

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:50-why-the-earth-is-so:t3:o1:1
# text = Being closer to the Sun always makes things colder
1	Being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	cop	_	_
2	closer	close	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Sun	Sun	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	7	advmod	_	_
7	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	colder	cold	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the Sun; close *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | closer | things |  |  |  | always, cold *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset thing=Product |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fire of the balloon cools the air around it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:50-why-the-earth-is-so:t3:o2:1
# text = The fire of the balloon cools the air around it
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	balloon	balloon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	cools	cool	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	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	around	around	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cool** | present | the fire of the balloon | the air |  | air |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent air=Patient |
| 2 | **fire** |  |  | the balloon |  |  |  |  | nom fire «event transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The balloon blocks the sunlight from reaching them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:50-why-the-earth-is-so:t3:o3:1
# text = The balloon blocks the sunlight from reaching them
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	balloon	balloon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	blocks	block	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	sunlight	sunlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	reaching	reach	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **block** | present | the balloon | the sunlight |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer sunlight=Theme |
| 2 | **reach** | gerund | the balloon *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The air higher up is colder because it is thinner and farther from the warm ground

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:50-why-the-earth-is-so:t3:o4:1
# text = The air higher up is colder because it is thinner and farther from the warm ground
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	amod	_	_
4	up	up	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	colder	cold	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	thinner	thin	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	advcl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	farther	far	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	10	conj	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the air |  |  | the warm ground |  | cold *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present | air |  |  |  |  | thin *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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mo…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/t2/)
- next →: [Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mo…, test 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/t4/)
- ↑ back to [Thinking like a geographer: rivers, mountains and deserts](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/50-why-the-earth-is-so/)