Talking to the friend's grandparents
Tests: 2 of 11 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 10 of 15 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72
Lesson 29 of the chinese street 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.
Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: the lesson's questions in the corpora.
Test 1 · ★ · right ✓
«his nan said I got fat?! that's so rude» How should you take nǐ pàng le?
- 1. Don't be hurt: from a granny it means you look healthy — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
- 2. It's a real insult, so leave the flat at once — no support
- 3. Say it back to be fair — score 2
- 4. It means you're tall — no support
Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 1 with score 7, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 29, line 15: «nǐ pàng le («nee PAHNG luh») means you've put on weight; rude in English, from a Chinese granny it often means you look healthy and well-fed, and a child never…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «look» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same property (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 2 · ★ · right ✓
«oi granny nǐ pàng le too lol» What's wrong here?
- 1. A child never says it back to an elder — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
- 2. Nothing, it's a compliment, both ways round — no support
- 3. You should say it twice — score 3
- 4. It's only wrong in the morning — no support
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 3, tied with another option at 3 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 28, line 12: «dǎrǎo le («DAH-RAOW luh») means sorry for disturbing you, said when leaving; it is the Chinese «thanks for having me», and parents are impressed when a child s…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «say» (+2); the same doer «child» (+2); the same thing acted on «le» (+2). Against it: one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (-3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 3 · ★ · wrong ✗
«ming's grandad keeps saying study hard, every single time, so annoying» What's the best reply?
- 1. Just say hǎo de, don't argue — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Tell him you already did all your homework — ← Mova's choice · score 3
- 3. Say bù xíng — no support
- 4. Ignore him — no support
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 3, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 10, line 1: «When Ming's grandad comes in, Ming's mum whispers «kuài jiào yéye!» (quick, say hello to Grandad!). In Chinese families you greet each elder by their title, ou…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «say» (+2); the same receiver «grandad» (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 4 · ★ · wrong ✗
What would happen if you started eating before Ming's grandad?
- 1. Grandad would be pleased — ← Mova's choice · score 4
- 2. You'd get a red envelope — no support
- 3. It'd look rude; children wait for the eldest — ✓ the right answer · score 2
- 4. Nothing, kids always eat first in Chinese homes — score 3
Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 1 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 29, line 5: «yéye nǎinai hǎo («YEH-yeh NIGH-nigh HOW») means hello Grandad and Granny, said to the friend's grandparents before anything else; they may beam and say zhēn gu…», reached through what followed the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «yéye» (+4). The right option, 3, scored 2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 5 · ★ · wrong ✗
You stay in your seat on the bus while an old lady stands. How does it look in a Chinese family?
- 1. Fine, seats are first come, first served — no support
- 2. Polite, she likes standing — no support
- 3. Normal, only adults give seats — ← Mova's choice · score 5
- 4. Rude: giving your seat is expected — ✓ the right answer · no support
Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 3 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 29, line 8: «nín zuò zhèr («neen DZWAW JAR») means please sit here; giving your seat to an elder on a sofa or a bus is expected, not extra-nice.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «give» (+3); the same thing acted on «seat» (+2). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 6 · ★ · wrong ✗
«he said tā lǎo de is coming, that's how you say grandad?» Is it OK?
- 1. No, lǎo de is rude; say lǎorénjiā — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Yes, it's the polite form for any grandad — no support
- 3. Yes, it means Mr Old — ← Mova's choice · score 5
- 4. No, you must say lǎoshī — no support
Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 3 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 5, line 9: «tā («tah», high) means he, she and it; spoken Mandarin has one sound for he and she, so Mandarin-speaking friends sometimes mix up he and she in English.», 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 «tā» (+2). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗
In a cartoon a boy offers to carry Granny's bags, she says «bú yòng!», and he shrugs and goes. What would a good guest do?
- 1. Tell her she's too old — ← Mova's choice · score 6
- 2. Take her bags without asking ever again — no support
- 3. Shrug and go, she said no — score 6
- 4. Offer again and help anyway — ✓ the right answer · no support
Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 1 with score 6, tied with another option at 6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 29, line 5: «yéye nǎinai hǎo («YEH-yeh NIGH-nigh HOW») means hello Grandad and Granny, said to the friend's grandparents before anything else; they may beam and say zhēn gu…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same action «say» (+3). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 8 · ★ · wrong ✗
«his granny said I got thin, then fed me like 4 bowls» Why?
- 1. nǐ shòu le is worry, so she fed you — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. It means you're greedy — no support
- 3. It means go home now — no support
- 4. She thought you were rich and could pay — ← Mova's choice · score 4
Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 4 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 20, line 5: «Families joke that there is a kind of cold called "Granny thinks you're cold": you will lose that argument, and it is a loving one.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «think» (+2); the same doer «granny» (+2). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 9 · ★ · wrong ✗
«just say nǐ hǎo to grandparents, it's fine innit» What makes grannies beam more?
- 1. Shouting their names — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. nín, the respectful «you»: yéye nǎinai hǎo — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. Saying hāi like English kids do — no support
- 4. Saying nothing and waving — no support
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
Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗
«why does granny keep saying I got taller? I'm the same lol» What's she doing?
- 1. It's the usual «look at you!» greeting — ✓ the right answer · score 3
- 2. She thinks you're someone else — ← Mova's choice · score 4
- 3. She can't see well without her glasses — no support
- 4. She's teasing you — no support
Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 2 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 20, line 5: «Families joke that there is a kind of cold called "Granny thinks you're cold": you will lose that argument, and it is a loving one.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «think» (+2); the same doer «granny» (+2). The right option, 1, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗
Grandad says «chī ba, chī ba!» and picks up his chopsticks. What does it mean for you?
- 1. You must wait for Granny — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. You should leave the table — no support
- 3. You must cook the rice — no support
- 4. You may start eating — ✓ the right answer · no support
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
Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗
Identify the expression whereby a child invites an elder to commence a meal before others.
- 1. nǐ zhǎng gāo le — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. nín xiān chī — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. nín zuò zhèr — no support
- 4. hǎohāo xuéxí — no support
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
Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓
Select the response consistent with the established usage of the remark nǐ pàng le when uttered by a Chinese grandparent.
- 1. It frequently signifies approval of a child's healthy appearance — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
- 2. It is an instruction to refrain from eating — no support
- 3. It invariably constitutes a grave insult to the child and his family — no support
- 4. It is a formula of farewell — no support
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 29, line 15: «nǐ pàng le («nee PAHNG luh») means you've put on weight; rude in English, from a Chinese granny it often means you look healthy and well-fed, and a child never…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «mean» (+2); the same doer «pàng le» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓
Ascertain the appropriate conduct where an elder initially declines an offer of assistance.
- 1. The offer is to be renewed and the help given — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. The elder is to be reproached for refusing — no support
- 3. The offer is to be withdrawn forthwith — no support
- 4. The matter is to be referred to the child's parents — no support
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
Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the term guāi?
- 1. It denotes a dialect spoken by grandparents — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. It denotes a respectful term for an elderly person — no support
- 3. It denotes great physical height — no support
- 4. It denotes good behaviour, a high commendation from an elder — ✓ the right answer · no support
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
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/chinese-street/29-talking-to-the-friends-grandparents/