---
title: Two towns are hit by the same strong earthquake. In one, buildings a… — Volcanoes and earthquakes up close · tree and pragmatics
description: Two towns are hit by the same strong earthquake. In one, buildings are made to bend and sway; in the other, they are stiff brick. Which suffers less? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 62 «Volcanoes and earthquakes up close» of the world course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/t4/)

<!-- 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/) / [Volcanoes and earthquakes up close](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/) / t4

# Test 4 · ★ · Volcanoes and earthquakes up close

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two towns are hit by the same strong earthquake. In one, buildings are made to bend and sway; in the other, they are stiff brick. Which suffers less?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** same strong earthquake, buildings · **What happens:** hit, make, bend, sway, be, suffer · **To what, where:** Two towns, buildings, stiff brick, less

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 62 «Volcanoes and earthquakes up close» 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/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Two towns are hit by the same strong earthquake.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:1
# text = Two towns are hit by the same strong earthquake.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	towns	town	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	hit	hit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	earthquake	earthquake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hit** | present · passive | the same strong earthquake | Two towns |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme subject=Co-Theme |

<!-- .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:* In one, buildings are made to bend and sway; in the other, they are stiff brick.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:2
# text = In one, buildings are made to bend and sway; in the other, they are stiff brick.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	buildings	building	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	sway	sway	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
17	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	brick	brick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | buildings |  |  |  | in one | tree rules |
| 2 | **bend** | to-infinitive | buildings *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sway** | infinitive | buildings *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is a** | present | buildings *= building* | stiff brick |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Which suffers less?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:3
# text = Which suffers less?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	2	nsubj	_	_
2	suffers	suffer	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | present |  | less |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer less=Stimulus |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither, because earthquakes do not harm buildings

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:o1:1
# text = Neither, because earthquakes do not harm buildings
1	Neither	neither	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	earthquakes	earthquake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	harm	harm	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	buildings	building	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **harm** | present · do-support | earthquakes | buildings |  |  |  | neither *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus building=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

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

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:o2:1
# text = Both suffer exactly the same
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	suffer	suffer	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	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | present | Both |  |  |  |  | same *property* | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town with buildings made to bend and sway

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:o3:1
# text = The town with buildings made to bend and sway
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	buildings	building	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	bend	bend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	sway	sway	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  | buildings *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **bend** | to-infinitive | buildings *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sway** | infinitive | buildings *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town with stiff brick buildings

```conllu
# sent_id = question:world:62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes:t4:o4:1
# text = The town with stiff brick buildings
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	stiff	stiff	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	brick	brick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	buildings	building	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- 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: [Volcanoes and earthquakes up close, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/t3/)
- next →: [Volcanoes and earthquakes up close, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/t5/)
- ↑ back to [Volcanoes and earthquakes up close](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/world/62-volcanoes-and-earthquakes/)