Debating and discussion
Tests: 6 of 11 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 5 of 15 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72
Lesson 49 of the english 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 · ★ · wrong ✗
Josh says, "The loudest side wins, innit." Put him right.
- 1. Nobody wins debates, so it does not matter — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. The judge always picks the loudest side — no support
- 3. Reasons and evidence persuade, not volume — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 4. Volume counts, but only in the final round — 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 2 · ★ · right ✓
What would happen if nobody took turns?
- 1. Nobody would be heard properly — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. The debate would be faster and better — no support
- 3. The best reason would win anyway — no support
- 4. Everyone would agree much sooner — 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 3 · ★ · right ✓
Gran in Belfast: "Wise up, ye eejit, argue wi' the idea, not the wee fella." ("Eejit" means idiot; "wise up" means be sensible.) What is her advice?
- 1. Argue against the idea, not the person — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Shout at the small boy until he stops — no support
- 3. Stop debating and go home altogether — no support
- 4. Argue against the person, not the idea — 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 4 · ★ · right ✓
A cartoon judge says, "Changing your mind means you lost, so never do it." Fix it.
- 1. The cartoon is right; good thinkers never change — score 0
- 2. Only teachers are allowed to change their minds — score 8
- 3. Changing it for a better reason is a strength — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
- 4. You may only change your mind after the vote — score 10
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 10, tied with another option at 10 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 19, line 3: «Good readers change their predictions as they go, like a weather forecaster who looks out of the window again. Kai changes his mind halfway through a book: tha…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «change» (+5); the same thing acted on «mind» (+5). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 5 · ★ · wrong ✗
Your mate snaps, "Shut it, homework's well useful, you're just lazy." What is wrong with his point?
- 1. It gives far too much evidence — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. It attacks a person and gives no evidence — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. It is much too polite to work — no support
- 4. Nothing; it is a perfect point — 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 6 · ★ · wrong ✗
Mo says, "Homework should be banned because kids need time to play, and doctors say play is healthy." Which part is the evidence?
- 1. Homework should be banned — ← Mova's choice · score 5
- 2. Kids need time to play — score 4
- 3. Doctors say play is healthy — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 4. The word "because" — no support
Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 5, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 49, line 6: «The motion is the topic of a debate, such as "Homework should be banned".», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «ban» (+4); the same thing acted on «homework» (+4). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-3). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗
Isla says, "That's cap, homework's never helped anyone, ever." Which reply is the best rebuttal?
- 1. "No, you're cap, and so is your face, and your mate's face." — no support
- 2. "Homework is good, end of, because I said it is." — score 6
- 3. "Our spelling scores rose with home practice, so it helped us." — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 4. "Okay, fine, you win, I give up, there's no point." — ← Mova's choice · score 7
Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 4 with score 7, against 6 for the next best. Its support: lesson 49, line 10: «A rebuttal answers the other side's point, which shows you listened: "You said ___, but…"», 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 doer «point» (+3). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 8 · ★ · right ✓
In a debate on "Pets should be allowed in school", which is a point AGAINST the motion?
- 1. Some children are allergic to fur — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. Pets teach children to be kind and gentle — no support
- 3. Pets help children feel calm — no support
- 4. Children really love pets — 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 9 · ★ · right ✓
The teacher says, "Summarise both sides." Toby lists only his own side. What did he forget?
- 1. The other side's main points — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
- 2. His own side's best point — score 3
- 3. To shout at the end — no support
- 4. The name of the debate — no support
Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. 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 49, line 10: «A rebuttal answers the other side's point, which shows you listened: "You said ___, but…"», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «point» (+2); the same doer «other side» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
Test 10 · ★ · right ✓
Which is a polite way to disagree?
- 1. "I see your point, but I disagree because…" — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. "Wrong. Sit down." — no support
- 3. "Cap. Next." — no support
- 4. "That's mardy, and so are you, and so is your idea." — 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 11 · ★ · wrong ✗
Before a vote, 12 children are for the motion and 8 against. After a better reason, 3 switch from for to against. How many are for now?
- 1. 11 — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. 12 — no support
- 3. 9 — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 4. 15 — 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 term denoting the proposition under consideration in a formal debate.
- 1. The rebuttal — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. The summary — no support
- 3. The verdict — no support
- 4. The motion — ✓ 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 2 · formal language · right ✓
Select the response that most accurately characterises a rebuttal.
- 1. A direct reply to an opposing point — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
- 2. A restatement of one's own opening — no support
- 3. A unanimous vote at the conclusion — no support
- 4. A complaint lodged with the chair — 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 3 · formal language · wrong ✗
It is given that a participant alleges that an opponent's assertion is "cap". Determine what is additionally required for the allegation to be persuasive.
- 1. Volume — ← Mova's choice · no support
- 2. Evidence — ✓ the right answer · no support
- 3. Insults — no support
- 4. Repetition — 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 · right ✓
Ascertain which of the following is consistent with the conduct of a good thinker in discussion.
- 1. Disregarding the opposing side entirely — no support
- 2. Maintaining one's view regardless of all reasons — no support
- 3. Revising one's view upon hearing a better reason — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 1
- 4. Interrupting opponents so as to save time — no support
Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 49, line 15: «Changing your mind when you hear a better reason is a sign of a good thinker.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «hear» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/english/49-debating-and-discussion/