SEMANTICS TEST & SYNTAX TEST - Model Answers
SEMANTICS TEST
Question 1 (1.5 pts)
a.
- Word that doesn’t belong: oak and palm tree
- Explanation:
- daisy, lily, lavender, daffodil → flowers (small, herbaceous plants)
- oak, palm tree → trees (large, woody plants)
- Semantic feature difference: [tree] vs. [flower]
b.
- Words that don't belong: shatter and break
- Explanation:
- drain, drip, leak, flow → related to movement of liquid
- shatter, break → related to breaking solid objects
- Semantic feature difference: [liquid movement] vs. [solid breaking]
c.
- Words that don't belong: squirrel and beaver
- Explanation:
- ostrich, parrot, penguin, dove → birds
- squirrel, beaver → mammals
- Semantic feature difference: [bird] vs. [mammal]
Question 2 (1.5 pts)
- Equative sentence: b. Our honored guest today is Mr. Peter Prescott.
- Generic sentence: c. The hummingbird is the smallest bird found on Earth.
Question 3 (1.5 pts)
- She is going tomorrow: departure from speaker's location (going = away).
- She is coming tomorrow: arrival toward speaker's location (coming = toward).
Question 4 (1.5 pts)
(a) Sentence meaning: The ice-cream looks tasty.
(b) Two utterance meanings:
1. At an ice-cream shop (child wants to buy).
2. At a birthday party (guest complimenting dessert).
Question 5 (2 pts)
Answer: d. This engine has the power of forty buses.
Explanation: Describes amount of power, not referring to a specific entity.
Question 6 (2 pts)
- Co-reference expressions: Obama, the president, Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO.
- Discussion: Identifying co-reference can be difficult without context. For instance, knowing
'Apple CEO' refers to 'Steve Jobs' relies on world knowledge.
SYNTAX TEST
Question 1 (2 pts)
1. He usually sleeps late at the weekend and never gets up before ten.
- S: He, V [intrans]: sleeps, aA: usually, do: late, aA: at the weekend, V [intrans]: gets up, aA:
before ten, aA: never
2. Harry stared at the letter for a while and slowly picked it up.
- S: Harry, V [prep]: stared, PC: at the letter, aA: for a while, V [prep]: picked up, do: it, aA:
slowly
3. He reluctantly showed his uncle the bill and the postcard.
- S: He, V [ditrans]: showed, iO: his uncle, do: the bill and the postcard, aA: reluctantly
Question 2 (2 pts)
- Phrases:
- In July (PP) → movement test
- the desperate woman (NP) → replacement test
- handed the resignation letter (VP) → omission test
- to her employer (PP) → question test
Question 3 (3 pts)
Phrase markers drawn (simplified).
1. Ironically, a man from the slums couldn't stand people in shabby clothes.
2. The address on the top of the envelope was written in green ink.
3. Didn't the old man in a violet cloak in the corner just bow to him respectfully?
Question 4 (3 pts)
a. She went to the library in the evening.
- to the library: Complement (PC)
- in the evening: Modifier (aA)
b. The wife has been putting up with domestic violence.
- with domestic violence: Complement (PC)
c. She read the letter on the floor.
- on the floor: Modifier (aA)