Telling when someone may be lying

Tests: 9 of 19 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★★ · Understood: 17 of 23 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 198 of the everyday 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 ✗

A shy new girl in Wellington looks at the floor when she says she has a cat. What is the fair thought?

1. She is clearly lying about the cat — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. You should ask her to look at you and repeat it — no support
3. Shy people usually lie more — no support
4. Looking away is not proof, so there is no reason to doubt her — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 23, line 16: «Many cats do not like their belly touched, even when they lie on their back.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «lie» (+3); the same doer «cats» (+3). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Mia says she was at the beach on Saturday, then the cinema, then her gran's. What is a sensible reaction?

1. Pretend not to notice anything at all and change the subject quickly — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Decide she lies about everything — no support
3. Tell her friends not to trust her — no support
4. Ask kindly what she did, as the changes are worth checking — ✓ 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

Test 3 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A man on TV says a pill makes you taller in a week and swears it really works. What should you think?

1. It works for some people, so it must be fine for everybody to take — no support
2. If he swears, it must be true — no support
3. An amazing claim needs good evidence, not swearing — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. TV adverts are always checked to be true — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 58, line 9: «Always check first with your parent or carer before going anywhere with anyone.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «check» (+3); the same property (+1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★★ · right ✓

A boy is nervous in a polygraph test and the machine says «lying». Why might it be wrong?

1. The machine was switched off during the test — no support
2. Machines are always right, so it cannot be wrong — no support
3. Polygraphs only work on very small children — no support
4. Honest people get nervous too, and the machine measures nerves — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 0

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 4 with score 0, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 198, line 13: «Lie-detector machines (polygraphs) measure nervousness, like heartbeat and sweat, and honest people get nervous too, so they are not reliable.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «detector machines» (+2); the same action «measure» (+1). Against it: a different thing acted on (counts against) (-3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Two brothers in Cork each say the other started the argument. What is most likely?

1. One of them is a terrible liar — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Each remembers it in his own favour without meaning to lie — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Nobody started it, so it did not happen — no support
4. Both are lying on purpose to trick you into taking their side — 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 · ★★ · right ✓

Your grandad remembers your birthday picnic happening in the rain; you remember sun. What is the best explanation?

1. You are telling a lie to win the argument — score 5
2. Grandad is telling a lie to tease you — score 5
3. Memory fills gaps by guessing, so honest people can disagree — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 14
4. Only one person can ever have a true memory of it, so one must be lying — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 14, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 198, line 3: «Many untrue stories are not lies: memory fills its gaps by guessing, so two honest people can remember the same fight differently. And a fish «as big as a car»…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «fill» (+4); the same doer «memory» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «gaps» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A classmate says «trust me» all the time but often does not do what he says. What does this tell you?

1. You should trust him even more, just to be fair — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He must be trustworthy, since he says so — no support
3. His actions matter more than his words — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Saying «trust me» makes promises count double — 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 8 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A girl gets cross when asked where her homework is. What should the teacher remember?

1. She may be upset for another reason, so stay calm and fair — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Getting cross always means someone is innocent and should be left alone — no support
3. It is best to get cross with her too — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Getting cross always means someone is lying — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 121, line 17: «A substitute or supply teacher deserves the same good behaviour as your usual teacher.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «substitute teacher» (+3); the same property (+1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★★ · right ✓

Which is the best clue that a story should be checked?

1. The person blinks a lot — no support
2. The person looks away from you while they are talking — no support
3. The person speaks quietly — no support
4. It keeps changing each time it is told — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 9, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 198, line 2: «Some things are clues worth checking, like a story that changes every time it is told, or a claim that sounds too amazing to be true. A clue is a reason to ask…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «change» (+3); the same doer «story» (+3); the same property (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★★ · right ✓

he wont look at me so he's def lying, right?

1. No, looking away doesn't prove a lie — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Yes, eye contact is proof of the truth — no support
3. Yes, liars always look away when they talk — no support
4. Yes, and he's scratching his nose too — 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 · ★★ · right ✓

she swore cross my heart so it must be true

1. Yes, nobody would ever lie after saying cross my heart — score 4
2. Yes, that's a real promise — no support
3. No, swearing hard doesn't make it more true — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 11
4. Only if she said it twice — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 11, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 198, line 4: «Example: a boy in Florida swears «cross my heart» that he saw a shark in the pool. Swearing harder does not make it truer. What counts is the facts, and over t…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «make» (+3); the same doer «swearing» (+3); the same property (+3); the same thing acted on «heart» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★★ · right ✓

me and my bro remember the trip totally different, one of us is lyin

1. Not necessarily, honest memories differ — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Yes, the younger one lies — no support
3. Yes, one must be lying — no support
4. Yes, the louder one is lying — 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 13 · ★★ · wrong ✗

kid says he met a famous footballer at the shop, believe him?

1. Wait for good evidence before believing it — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. No, call him a liar in front of everyone so he learns — no support
3. Yes, he wouldn't say it otherwise — score 2
4. Yes, if he says trust me — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 4, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 99, line 5: «A girl in California said yes when an older kid asked her to keep a secret about touching; she felt worse and worse until she told her mum, who got help and ke…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «tell» (+3); the same doer «kid» (+1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 14 · ★★ · wrong ✗

online guy selling a console for 20 quid, pay now or it's gone

1. Don't pay, rushing and too-cheap means it's likely a scam — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Pay fast before it's gone, deals like that never come back twice — no support
3. Send your card details — no support
4. Pay half first — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 37, line 2: «A need is something you must have to live and be well, like food, clothes and a home. A want is something nice to have, like a new game or sweets. Sensible peo…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same property (+3); the same action «pay» (+1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 15 · ★★ · right ✓

stranger says ur mum's hurt, come with me now

1. Go if he knows your name — no support
2. Go with him quickly — no support
3. Don't go, tell a trusted adult and check — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
4. Ask him to show you a picture of her first, then go with him — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 7, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 198, line 6: «A girl in Leeds believed a stranger who said her mum was in hospital and he would drive her there; she told a teacher first, and the teacher found out it was a…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same receiver «teacher» (+4); the same action «tell» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 16 · ★★ · wrong ✗

how can u tell someone might be lying to trick you

1. They speak quietly — score 3
2. They wear smart clothes — ← Mova's choice · score 4
3. They are always very polite and smile a lot when they talk to you — no support
4. They rush you or offer something too good to be true — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 86, line 11: «In a heatwave, drink often, wear light clothes and stay cool indoors at the hottest time of day.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «wear» (+3); the same thing acted on «light clothes» (+1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 17 · ★★ · right ✓

did u hear Sam never looks u in the eye, my sister says that proves he's lying about everything

1. No; avoiding eye contact proves nothing, shy or nervous people do it too — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Only liars look at the floor — no support
3. Yes, no eye contact always means lying — no support
4. Tell everyone Sam's a liar — 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 18 · ★★ · wrong ✗

apparently a man outside the school told Lucy her mum was in hospital n tried to get her in his car, they say he had a knife

1. It's fine if he looks friendly — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. Never go with someone who says that; tell a teacher and check; the knife may be rumour — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Ask to see his car first — score 0
4. Go if he knows your mum's name — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 6, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 58, line 6: «A man at a park in Ohio told a girl he had lost his puppy and asked her to help look in his van; she said no, ran to her mum, and the police were called.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «look» (+3); the same doer «man» (+3). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 19 · ★★ · right ✓

my mate swears "cross my heart" he saw a shark in the leisure centre pool, so it must be true innit

1. Call him a liar in front of everyone — no support
2. Believe it if he swears twice — no support
3. No; swearing harder doesn't make it true, unusual claims need evidence — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 11
4. Yes, swearing proves it — score 4

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the evidence that a person is lying?

1. Swearing "cross my heart" proves one tells the truth — score 9
2. A lie detector reliably shows who is lying — no support
3. Avoiding eye contact proves that someone is lying — score 6
4. No single body sign proves that someone is lying — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 4 with score 10, against 9 for the next best. Its support: lesson 198, line 7: «There is no single body sign that proves someone is lying.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «prove» (+5); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same doer «single body sign» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

Identify the features commonly displayed by a person who lies in order to trick you.

1. They offer nothing and make no requests at all — no support
2. They speak slowly and give you time to think — ← Mova's choice · score 2
3. They rush you, offer too much, or ask for secrecy — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. They encourage you to ask your parents first — score 1

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 2, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 53, line 15: «Moving away from what upset you for a few minutes gives you time to cool down.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «give» (+3). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓

It is given that two honest persons remember the same event differently. Determine the most probable explanation.

1. The event can never have happened at all — no support
2. One of them must be lying on purpose — no support
3. Memory fills its gaps by guessing — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
4. Both of them must be lying on purpose — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 10, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 198, line 3: «Many untrue stories are not lies: memory fills its gaps by guessing, so two honest people can remember the same fight differently. And a fish «as big as a car»…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «fill» (+3); the same doer «memory» (+3); the same thing acted on «gaps» (+2); its «because» matches the remembered cause (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Ascertain the step that most reliably defeats a trick based on a surprising story.

1. Asking the stranger to promise it is true — no support
2. Acting quickly before the chance is gone — no support
3. Keeping the story a secret from everyone — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Checking with a trusted adult before acting — ✓ the right answer · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. 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 198, line 9: «A story whose details keep changing is a clue to check gently, not proof, because people do forget details.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «keep» (+3); the same thing acted on «story» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 4. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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