Jokes and teasing: when is it still funny?

Tests: 8 of 19 right · Exam: 3 of 4 right · Kind: ★★ · Understood: 16 of 23 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 203 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 girl in Sacramento says «Oh, brilliant!» when her ice cream falls on the ground. Is she lying?

1. No, it is sarcasm, and everyone understands she means the opposite — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Yes, because she wants to trick her friends into thinking she is happy — ← Mova's choice · score 5
3. No, she really thinks it is brilliant — score 4
4. Yes, because she says it is brilliant — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 5, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 196, line 5: «A girl in Leeds told her friend her new haircut looked fine when the friend asked, even though she did not love it; the friend was happy, and nothing bad came…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «girl» (+3); the same thing acted on «friend» (+3). Against it: a different action (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 2 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Two boys tease each other with silly nicknames and both laugh. One day one boy goes quiet and looks down. What should the other do?

1. Use a stronger nickname to cheer him up — ← Mova's choice · score 7
2. Stop and ask if he is okay with it — ✓ the right answer · score 7
3. Keep going, since they always do it — score 7
4. Tell others the nickname too — score 7

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 1 with score 7, tied with another option at 7 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 125, line 17: «Online you use a nickname and never share your full name, address, school or photo.», 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 action «use» (+2); the same thing acted on «nickname» (+2). The right option, 2, scored 7. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A boy jokes at school that he has a gun in his bag. Why is this serious even as a joke?

1. Because school bags are not allowed at all — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Because someone might laugh too loudly — no support
3. It is serious only if the teacher hears it, otherwise it is just a laugh — no support
4. Staff must treat it as real, causing alarm and serious trouble — ✓ 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 4 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A girl's classmates laugh at her because she speaks Spanish at home. What is true?

1. She should stop speaking Spanish at home so that she fits in better — ← Mova's choice · score 4
2. It is fine because they are only joking — no support
3. It is her fault for mentioning it — no support
4. Speaking two languages is a skill, and mocking it is unkind — ✓ the right answer · 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 53, line 7: «A girl in Dublin kept her worries to herself for months; she stopped sleeping and eating well until she finally told her mum, who helped her get support.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «stop» (+3); the same doer «girl» (+1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★★ · right ✓

How can you tell friendly teasing from bullying?

1. Bullying always involves hitting — no support
2. Friendly teasing is always about looks, bullying is always about grades — score 4
3. Bullying hurts the person and keeps going — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
4. There is no difference between them — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 3 with score 6, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 98, line 21: «Bullying that is kept secret usually goes on, while telling a trusted adult helps to stop it.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «go on» (+4); the same doer «bullying» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A friend trips over in the playground and grazes her knee badly. Some children laugh. What should you do?

1. Tell her it looked funny — ← Mova's choice · score 12
2. Laugh too, so you fit in with the others — score 3
3. Check if she is hurt and help her — ✓ the right answer · score 11
4. Pretend not to know her — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 1 with score 12, against 11 for the next best. Its support: lesson 196, line 5: «A girl in Leeds told her friend her new haircut looked fine when the friend asked, even though she did not love it; the friend was happy, and nothing bad came…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same receiver «friend» (+6); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same action «tell» (+2); a different doer (counts against) (+1). The right option, 3, scored 11. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A boy says a joke about wheelchair users and adds «it's just a joke». What is the problem?

1. The problem is only if a teacher or a wheelchair user is nearby — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. The joke was simply not very well told — score 3
3. Mocking a disability hurts people and spreads prejudice — ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. It is fine if no wheelchair user hears — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 195, line 4: «Example: a boy in Ohio breaks a window and says «It wasn't me» because he is scared. Now he must invent more lies to cover the first one, and when the truth co…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «more lies» (+2). The right option, 3, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Your friends keep making an inside joke while a new girl sits with you. What is kind?

1. Tell her she will understand it one day — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. Ask her to sit somewhere else — score 3
3. Keep going so she wants to be part of your group and learns the joke — score 5
4. Explain the joke or stop, so she is included — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 123, line 6: «A girl in Florida went into a new neighbour's house to see his puppy without telling her parents; nothing happened, but the family searched the street for an h…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «see» (+3); the same doer «girl» (+1); a different thing acted on (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 9 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A girl with freckles is called «Spotty» every day. Whose fault is the teasing?

1. The teasers', never hers — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Hers, for having freckles — no support
3. Nobody's, as it is only words — no support
4. Hers, if she does not laugh along — ← Mova's choice · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask a circumstance (with what, when, how). It chose option 4 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 203, line 7: «A girl in Sydney laughed along when friends teased her accent, but at home she cried and asked her mum to move schools; her friends had no idea, because she ha…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «laugh» (+2); the same doer «girl» (+2); the same property (+1). Against it: one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (-3). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★★ · wrong ✗

he called me a name then said jk, so its fine?

1. Yes, if he laughed too it was just a joke between you — ← Mova's choice · score 8
2. No, you can say that wasn't funny to me — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Yes, just laugh along — no support
4. Yes, jk makes it okay — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 8, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 123, line 15: «It is fine to ask how to say a name that is hard for you, and saying it properly shows respect.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «name» (+3); the same circumstance (+3); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★★ · right ✓

my mate slipped on the ice lol it was so funny

1. First check that she's okay — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Walk away — no support
3. Laugh louder — no support
4. Film it for later so you can show everyone at school — 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 12 · ★★ · wrong ✗

my mate goes "oh great" when it starts raining, is he lying?

1. Yes, he loves rain — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. No, that's sarcasm, a joke shown by tone — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Yes, he says the opposite of what he means, so it's a lie — no support
4. He's confused — 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 · ★★ · right ✓

thought it'd be funny to say theres a bomb in my bag at the airport

1. Never joke about bombs, it causes alarm and serious trouble — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Fine if you laugh after — no support
3. Fine if it's obviously a joke and you laugh straight away after — no support
4. Fine if you're a kid — 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 14 · ★★ · right ✓

we always call him "tubby", he laughs so it's fine right

1. No, people often laugh to hide being hurt, stop it — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Only if a teacher hears it — no support
3. Yes, if he laughs it's only a joke and nobody is hurt — no support
4. Yes, nicknames are normal — 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 15 · ★★ · wrong ✗

A girl who is teased every day starts to say she feels sick each morning. What is likely happening?

1. She has just caught a different cold every single morning — no support
2. She just wants a day off — ← Mova's choice · score 2
3. The teasing is making her afraid to go to school — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Teasing never affects how people feel — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 127, line 5: «A girl in Boston keeps her tablet in her room at dinner time; instead she tells her family about her day, which is what meals are for.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same property (+3); the same doer «girl» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 16 · ★★ · right ✓

kids keep mocking my voice, they say its banter

1. Mock them back louder — no support
2. Put up with it, banter is normal and everyone gets some — no support
3. Stop talking at school — no support
4. Tell them to stop and tell an adult if it goes on — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 3, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 125, line 6: «A boy in Ohio told an online gamer his full name, school and age when the gamer introduced himself; the gamer, an adult, began messaging him at school times, a…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same receiver «online gamer» (+4); the same action «tell» (+1). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 17 · ★★ · right ✓

did u hear a kid in year 5 joked about having a bomb in his bag and the whole school got evacuated, police came and everything. real lesson?

1. Never joke about bombs or weapons; it causes alarm — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
2. Schools overreact to anything said at all — no support
3. Bomb jokes are fine if your friends laugh — no support
4. Only say it quietly so teachers don't hear — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 203, line 14: «Never joke about bombs, weapons or threats; it can cause alarm, searches and serious trouble.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «cause» (+4); the same thing acted on «alarm» (+3). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 18 · ★★ · right ✓

everyone's laughing at that new girl's accent, my mate said she cried in the toilets. lol. pass it on?

1. Yes, it's just a funny story — no support
2. Yes, it's only teasing, not bullying — no support
3. No, mocking accents is unkind and so is spreading it — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. Yes, if you don't say her name — score 0

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 5, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 203, line 18: «Speaking more than one language is a skill, and mocking accents is unkind.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «mock» (+3); the same thing acted on «accents» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 19 · ★★ · right ✓

my cousin reckons a boy got teased about his weight so bad he never ate lunch again for like 3 years. what's probably blown up and what's true?

1. It's all true, every word, because a cousin said it — score 2
2. Teasing about weight only hurts adults — score 7
3. The exact story may be stretched, but such teasing really hurts for years — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9
4. It's all made up; teasing never matters — score 2

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 9, against 7 for the next best. Its support: lesson 203, line 20: «Teasing about weight or bodies can hurt for years and can lead to eating problems.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «hurt» (+4); the same doer «teasing» (+3); the same property (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which of the following statements most accurately characterises a remark that wounds its target but is described as «just joking»?

1. The description does not render the remark acceptable — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. It is acceptable if the speaker is a friend — no support
3. It is acceptable if others present laugh — no support
4. The description renders any remark acceptable — 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 ✓

Identify the principal reason for which jokes concerning bombs or weapons are prohibited in public places.

1. They may cause alarm, searches and serious consequences — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
2. They are seldom considered amusing by adults — score 5
3. They are prohibited solely in schools — no support
4. They are permissible only on aeroplanes — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 6, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 203, line 14: «Never joke about bombs, weapons or threats; it can cause alarm, searches and serious trouble.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «cause» (+4); the same thing acted on «alarm» (+3). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

It is given that a pupil laughs at a joke directed at himself. Select the most accurate inference.

1. The laughter proves that he is not hurt — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The laughter obliges the joke to be repeated — no support
3. The laughter does not prove that he finds the joke amusing — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. The laughter shows that he began the joke — 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 the condition under which teasing is properly characterised as bullying.

1. When it is undertaken by a friend — no support
2. When it concerns hobbies and interests — no support
3. When it occurs on a single occasion only — score 4
4. When it causes hurt and is persistently repeated — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 5, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 203, line 16: «Teasing that hurts and goes on is bullying.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «hurt» (+3); the same thing acted on «teasing» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/everyday/203-jokes-and-teasing/