---
title: Soft words for hard things: drinking and drugs and religion and fate — how Mova does on the tests · Euphemisms
description: Lesson 31 of the euphemisms course of Mova's primary school: 7 of 13 tests right, exam 1 of 4, every question with the options, the student's choice, the right answer and why it chose.
---

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# Soft words for hard things: drinking and drugs and religion and fate

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**Tests:** 7 of 13 right · **Exam:** 1 of 4 right · **Kind:** plain · **Understood:** 5 of 17 · **Run:** 2026-10-18, commit `f3c23ea72`

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Lesson 31 of the euphemisms course of Mova's primary school, as Mova's small model took its tests: it had read this lesson and the ones before it and learned from their exercises. Each test shows the options in the order the student saw them, its choice, the right answer, the score of every option and why it chose. The lesson itself, sentence by sentence with trees and pragmatics: [the lesson in the corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/).

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Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: [the lesson's questions in the corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/).

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### Test 1 · right ✓ {#t1}

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News: "The footballer has gone into treatment and asks for privacy." What has really happened?

- **1.** He is on holiday with his family — score 3
- **2.** He has started a new job — score 3
- **3.** He is getting help for an addiction — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 4
- **4.** He has hurt his leg badly in training on Saturday — score 4

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 3 with score 4, tied with another option at 4 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 31, line 7: «"Went into treatment" means a person went to a clinic (rehab) to get help with an addiction.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same thing acted on «help» (+2); the same circumstance (+2); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+1). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t1/)

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### Test 2 · wrong ✗ {#t2}

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"Sorry I'm late, Dad had one for the road and then couldn't find his keys." What did Dad do?

- **1.** He drove one more lap of the town — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** He ate a sandwich on the way — no support
- **3.** He bought a road map — no support
- **4.** He had one last drink before leaving — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t2/)

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### Test 3 · wrong ✗ {#t3}

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Gossip: "Poor Mrs Kelly, her husband's fond of the drink." What is she worried about?

- **1.** Her husband sells drinks — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** Her husband drinks too much alcohol — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **3.** Her husband drinks too much tea — no support
- **4.** Her husband is always thirsty — no support

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**Why:** Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t3/)

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### Test 4 · right ✓ {#t4}

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"Bloody hell, look at him, he's had a right skinful." What is the speaker saying?

- **1.** The man is very drunk — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** The man is very angry — no support
- **3.** The man is very fat — no support
- **4.** The man is very sunburnt — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t4/)

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### Test 5 · right ✓ {#t5}

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A press release: "The actor cancelled the tour due to exhaustion." What might a careful reader suspect?

- **1.** The weather was too hot — no support
- **2.** He wanted a longer holiday — no support
- **3.** Trouble with drink or drugs — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 1
- **4.** The tickets did not sell — no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 31, line 1: «People often feel awkward talking about drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs, so they use soft or funny words instead: a famous person's office may say th…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same thing acted on «drugs» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1); a different doer (counts against) (-1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t5/)

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### Test 6 · right ✓ {#t6}

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"we tied one on last nite lol head is killing me" What happened last night?

- **1.** They got drunk — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** They tied up a parcel — no support
- **3.** They went sailing — no support
- **4.** They wore fancy ties — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t6/)

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### Test 7 · wrong ✗ {#t7}

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Insurance letter: "We cannot pay for the damage, as the flood was an act of God." What does the company mean?

- **1.** The flood was a miracle — no support
- **2.** God will pay for the damage instead of the company — **← Mova's choice** · score 8
- **3.** A priest caused the flood — no support
- **4.** It was a natural disaster nobody is to blame for — **✓ the right answer** · score 3

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score 8, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 31, line 18: «"An act of God", in insurance (paying a company so that it pays you if your things are damaged) and contracts, means a natural disaster such as a flood or stor…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same circumstance (+4); the same action «pay» (+3); a different doer (counts against) (+1). The right option, 4, scored 3. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t7/)

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### Test 8 · wrong ✗ {#t8}

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Nan says: "We'll see you at Christmas, the good Lord willing." What does she mean?

- **1.** She will not come this year — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** She will come if nothing goes wrong — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **3.** She will come only if she prays first — no support
- **4.** She will come with the vicar — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t8/)

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### Test 9 · right ✓ {#t9}

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"what the dickens have u done to the kitchen?!" How is the speaker feeling?

- **1.** Shocked and cross — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** Calm and pleased — no support
- **3.** Sleepy and bored — no support
- **4.** Happy and proud — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t9/)

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### Test 10 · wrong ✗ {#t10}

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A cartoon villain shouts "Go to the other place!" Where is he telling them to go?

- **1.** To another town — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** To hell — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **3.** To the next room — no support
- **4.** To the other team — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t10/)

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### Test 11 · right ✓ {#t11}

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"wobbly pops for the grown-ups, juice for the kids" — what will the grown-ups drink?

- **1.** Fizzy water — no support
- **2.** Ice lollies — no support
- **3.** Wobbly jelly — no support
- **4.** Alcoholic drinks — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 2

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 31, line 1: «People often feel awkward talking about drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs, so they use soft or funny words instead: a famous person's office may say th…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same thing acted on «drink» (+1). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t11/)

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### Test 12 · right ✓ {#t12}

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Mia says: "Old Nick means Father Christmas, right? St Nicholas!" Is she right?

- **1.** Yes, it is Father Christmas — no support
- **2.** No, Old Nick means the Devil — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 8
- **3.** No, it means a thief — no support
- **4.** Yes, it means any old man — no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 8, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 31, line 21: «"Old Nick" (old-fashioned, UK) means the Devil.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «mean» (+3); the same doer «old nick» (+3); the same thing acted on «devil» (+2). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t12/)

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### Test 13 · wrong ✗ {#t13}

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"The holiday was all booked, but fate had other plans — Dad broke his leg." What happened to the holiday?

- **1.** It was moved to the seaside — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** It was paid for twice — no support
- **3.** It was even better — no support
- **4.** It did not happen — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/t13/)

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### Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e1}

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Pursuant to the insurer's correspondence, the destruction of the dwelling is attributed to "an act of God". Identify the meaning of this expression.

- **1.** An act of vandalism committed by persons unknown — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** A deliberate act committed by a member of the clergy — no support
- **3.** A natural disaster for which no person can be held liable — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **4.** A miraculous event resulting in the preservation of property — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/e1/)

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### Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓ {#e2}

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Whereas a public statement asserts that a performer has "gone into treatment", which of the following most accurately characterises the situation?

- **1.** The performer is receiving clinical assistance for an addiction — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** The performer has been admitted with a fractured limb — no support
- **3.** The performer has been granted a period of paid leave — no support
- **4.** The performer has undergone a cosmetic procedure — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/e2/)

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### Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e3}

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Ascertain the referent of the expression "Old Nick" as employed in traditional British narrative.

- **1.** A notorious highwayman of the eighteenth century — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** The Devil — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **3.** Saint Nicholas, otherwise known as Father Christmas — no support
- **4.** An elderly agricultural labourer — no support

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**Why:** Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/e3/)

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### Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e4}

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Select the response consistent with the established meaning of the phrase "for medicinal purposes" when uttered jocularly in respect of an alcoholic beverage.

- **1.** The beverage has been prescribed by a physician — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** The beverage is intended exclusively for the treatment of a cough — no support
- **3.** The beverage is consumed for pleasure rather than for health — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **4.** The beverage possesses proven curative properties — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/e4/)

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- ← previous: [30. Soft words for hard things: drinking and drugs](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/euphemisms/30-drinking-and-drugs/)
- next →: [32. Soft words for hard things: religion and fate an…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/euphemisms/32-religion-fate-failure/)
- ↑ back to [Euphemisms](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/euphemisms/)