MovaImpossible or wrong commands: saying no politely and firmly
Tests: 7 of 12 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★★ · Understood: 9 of 16 · Run: 2026-11-05, commit 610eccd1d
Lesson 26 of the commands 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.
Test 1 · ★★ · wrong ✗
"omg Lily's mum made her carry ALL the shopping in one go and she dropped like a hundred eggs, the kitchen was literally a swimming pool of yolk" What is probably blown up?
- 1. That some of the eggs got broken — no support
- 2. A hundred eggs and a swimming pool of yolk — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. That Lily's mum asked her to help — score 2
- 4. That Lily carried the shopping in for Mum — ← Mova's choice · score 7
Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 7, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 2, line 4: «Saying "yeah, I can" and not moving is how a robot fails, and how the door stays shut while Mum drops the shopping. "A question is never an order" is a myth, a…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «shopping» (+2); the same circumstance (+2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers.
Test 2 · ★★ · right ✓
Sir, Mumbai: "this project I wanted yesterday only, kindly prepone your work and do the needful." What does he want?
- 1. Do the project quickly, now — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Wait for another day to start — no support
- 3. Ask someone else to do the needful — no support
- 4. Hand it in yesterday, back in time — no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Test 3 · ★★ · right ✓
Jayden reckons: "if a job's impossible, you just ignore it and say nothing." What is better?
- 1. Get cross with them for asking such a silly thing — no support
- 2. Say "yes", and then forget all about it straight away — no support
- 3. Say kindly that you can't, and offer what you can do — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
- 4. Pretend to try, so that nobody gets upset with you — no support
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 26, line 9: «When something truly cannot be done, like stopping the rain, say so kindly and offer something you can do.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «say» (+4); the same property (+1).
Test 4 · ★★ · right ✓
Sister, Dublin: "ah go on, cover for me, tell Mammy I'm at Aoife's, don't be an eejit, it's only a wee white lie." What do you say?
- 1. "Grand", and tell Mammy she's at Aoife's — no support
- 2. "OK, but you owe me", and tell the lie — no support
- 3. "No, I'm not lying to Mammy for you" — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
- 4. "Ask Aoife's mam to lie for you instead" — score 0
Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 3, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 26, line 3: «Some commands are wrong: lie to Mum to cover for your brother, copy my answers, watch the film Mum said no to. Say no politely and firmly: short, calm, with a…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same circumstance (+2); the same action «lie» (+1).
Test 5 · ★★ · wrong ✗
Mate in a test, Brisbane: "oi, copy off me, she's gone to the staffroom, she'll be right, don't be a dobber." What does he want, and what do you do?
- 1. Him: help. You: copy, as mates help mates — no support
- 2. Him: cheating. You: no, do your own work — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. Him: a dobber. You: tell on him at once — no support
- 4. Him: quiet. You: copy, but only one answer — ← Mova's choice · score 6
Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 26, line 11: «Copying someone's answers in a test is cheating, whether the teacher is looking or not; the rules beat a friend's order.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «answers» (+2); the same action «copy» (+1). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers.
Test 6 · ★★ · wrong ✗
Coach, the Valleys: "tidy, butt, just run it off, don't be soft now." Your knee's gone puffy and you can't put weight on it. What do you do?
- 1. Run it off, since a coach's word always goes — no support
- 2. Sit out quietly and never say a word about it — score 5
- 3. Hop on one leg and keep on playing the match — ← Mova's choice · score 9
- 4. Stop, tell him it's bad, and get an adult to look — ✓ the right answer · score 9
Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 3 with score 9, tied with another option at 9 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 26, line 14: «A swelling ankle or knee after a fall is a real injury; stop playing and tell an adult, even if the coach says "walk it off".», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+5); the same action «play» (+4). The right option, 4, scored 9.
Test 7 · ★★ · right ✓
Babysitter, Gen Z: "ur parents are mid anyway, just watch it, I won't tell, it's giving brave." Which rule counts?
- 1. The babysitter's, as she's the one in charge — no support
- 2. Your parents' rule, even when they're out — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
- 3. Whoever seems bravest about the film — score 4
- 4. Nobody's, as long as nobody tells on you — no support
Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 8, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 26, line 12: «A babysitter cannot change your parents' rules; "I won't tell" does not make something allowed.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «rule» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same doer «parents» (+2).
Test 8 · ★★ · right ✓
Which "no" is polite and firm?
- 1. "No thanks, I'm not doing that." — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. "Erm, I might, I'll see later on." — no support
- 3. "Ugh, whatever, maybe, I dunno." — no support
- 4. "Get lost, you absolute muppet!" — no support
Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Test 9 · ★★ · wrong ✗
Mum, Yorkshire: "get t'door and stir t'gravy, love, both at once, I've got me hands full." What do you say?
- 1. "Fine", and leave the spoon in the pan — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. "Can't do both, Mum, which first?" — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. Stir with one hand, then run to the door — no support
- 4. Nothing; run back and forth, both jobs — no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Test 10 · ★★ · right ✓
Nan, Leeds: "pudding only if tha's finished tha tea, our kid." What does she mean?
- 1. No pudding until your tea is eaten — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Pudding only for your brother tonight — no support
- 3. Only one spoon of pudding for you — no support
- 4. Pudding now, and your tea after it — no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Test 11 · ★★ · wrong ✗
Mum, Gen X: "make your bed, it looks like a bomb hit it." What does she want?
- 1. Tidy the bed — ✓ the right answer · score 9
- 2. Check the bed for a bomb — ← Mova's choice · score 9
- 3. Make a wish on your bed — score 8
- 4. Build a new bed — score 10
Why: It applied a rule: lesson 26, line 5 («Two small words: "make your bed" means tidy it, "make sure" means check, and "make a wish" means wish. "Only one each" means no more than one each, and "only i…»), joined by «mean». Its condition Event _ make attrs=sure | quoted matched the question's Event _ make patient=bed | quoted. Its conclusion, so: Event _ check. Option 2 says it (Event you check patient=bed for=bomb), the only option that does.
Test 12 · ★★ · right ✓
You're halfway through drying the dishes when Mum says "drop everything, get your coat, Nan's had a fall." What do you do with the dishes?
- 1. Ask Mum if you can finish them all first — no support
- 2. Put the plate down, say "dishes half done" — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
- 3. Run to the car with the plate still in hand — no support
- 4. Finish every dish first, then get your coat — no support
Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 2 with score 8, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 26, line 3: «Some commands are wrong: lie to Mum to cover for your brother, copy my answers, watch the film Mum said no to. Say no politely and firmly: short, calm, with a…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «say» (+4); the same doer «film mum» (+4).
Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗
It is given that a party issues an instruction which cannot be executed, namely the simultaneous performance of two tasks in separate places. Identify the appropriate response.
- 1. An attempt to perform both tasks in a simultaneous manner — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. The silent omission of both tasks without explanation — no support
- 3. Performance of the first-mentioned task without comment — no support
- 4. A statement of the impossibility and an inquiry as to priority — ✓ the right answer · no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓
Whereas a teacher declares that work "ought to have been completed yesterday", determine the meaning thereby conveyed.
- 1. That the work is to be dated the day before — no support
- 2. That time travel is required of the pupil — no support
- 3. That the work may no longer be submitted — no support
- 4. That the work is to be completed promptly — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 21, line 2: «A class signal like a clap or "one, two, three, eyes on me!" is an interruption on purpose: it cuts into whatever you are doing, and you stop and look now, not…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «finish» (+4); the same thing acted on «work» (+2).
Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓
Pursuant to an instruction from a sports coach to continue exercising upon an ankle exhibiting visible swelling, ascertain the conduct required.
- 1. Cessation of play and notice to a responsible adult — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Continued exercise until the session's conclusion — no support
- 3. Concealment of the injury, so as not to disappoint — no support
- 4. Continued exercise, an adult's instruction binding — no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗
Select the statement that most accurately characterises an assurance by a babysitter that a film prohibited by the parents may be viewed.
- 1. The prohibition applies only by daylight — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. The prohibition lapses if none disclose it — no support
- 3. The parents' prohibition lapses in absence — no support
- 4. The parents' prohibition remains in force — ✓ the right answer · no support
Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown.
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/commands/26-impossible-or-wrong-commands-saying-no/