---
title: Identify the principal reason for which a cat that is pursued by a d… — Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, ene… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which a cat that is pursued by a dog customarily ascends a tree. Exam question 2 of lesson 121 «Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, enemies or friends?» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of eac
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/e2/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Biology](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/) / [Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, ene…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/) / e2

# Exam question 2 · Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, enemies or friends?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which a cat that is pursued by a dog customarily ascends a tree.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, dog, cat · **What happens:** identify, pursue, ascend · **To what, where:** principal reason, cat, tree

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 121 «Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, enemies or friends?» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: [the test at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which a cat that is pursued by a dog customarily ascends a tree.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
9	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	pursued	pursue	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:agent	_	_
15	customarily	customarily	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	ascends	ascend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **pursue** | present · passive | a dog | a cat |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 3 | **ascend** | present | a cat | a tree |  |  |  | for the principal reason; customarily *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme tree=Trajectory |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cat is thereby enabled to locate its own food, which it previously concealed among the branches

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats:e2:o1:1
# text = The cat is thereby enabled to locate its own food, which it previously concealed among the branches
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	thereby	thereby	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	enabled	enable	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	locate	locate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	obj	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	previously	previously	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	concealed	conceal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
16	among	among	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	branches	branch	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enable** | present · passive |  | the cat |  |  |  | thereby *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **locate** | to-infinitive | the cat *not said here* | cat's own food |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **conceal** | past | cat | cat's own food |  | the branches |  | previously *property* | vn concealment-16 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent which=Patient among branch=Location |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dogs are universally afraid of elevated positions

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats:e2:o2:1
# text = Dogs are universally afraid of elevated positions
1	Dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	universally	universally	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	afraid	afraid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	elevated	elevate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	positions	position	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Dogs |  |  |  |  | of elevated positions; afraid, universally *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **elevate** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The curved claws of the cat engage the bark, whereas the blunt claws of the dog do not

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats:e2:o3:1
# text = The curved claws of the cat engage the bark, whereas the blunt claws of the dog do not
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	curved	curve	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	claws	claw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
7	engage	engage	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bark	bark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	blunt	blunt	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	claws	claw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
18	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
19	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **curve** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP.material V PP.product»: agent=Material |
| 2 | **engage** | infinitive | the curved claws | the bark |  |  |  | of the cat; whereas the blunt claws of the dog | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bark=Patient |
| 3 | **not** **do** | infinitive | the curved claws *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The scent of trees is intolerable to the dog

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats:e2:o4:1
# text = The scent of trees is intolerable to the dog
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scent	scent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	intolerable	intolerable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the scent of trees |  |  |  |  | to the dog; intolerable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **scent** |  |  | trees |  |  |  |  | nom scent «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (`world/data/school/`), as the course runner gave them to the student. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, ene…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/e1/)
- next →: [Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, ene…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Spike and Tom: real dogs and cats, enemies or friends?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/121-spike-and-tom-real-dogs-and-cats/)