---
title: Identify the principal reason for which the plumage of a duck sheds… — Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbit… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which the plumage of a duck sheds water. Exam question 3 of lesson 123 «Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbits, hares and ducks» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choic
---

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# Exam question 3 · Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbits, hares and ducks

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which the plumage of a duck sheds water.

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

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 123 «Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbits, hares and ducks» 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/123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks:e3:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which the plumage of a duck sheds water.
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	12	obl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	plumage	plumage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	sheds	shed	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl	_	_
13	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	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 | **shed** | present | the plumage of a duck | water |  |  |  | for the principal reason | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location water=Source |

<!-- .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 elevated temperature of the skin evaporates the water as soon as it lands

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks:e3:o1:1
# text = The elevated temperature of the skin evaporates the water as soon as it lands
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	elevated	elevated	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	temperature	temperature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	evaporates	evaporate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	as	as	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
12	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	lands	land	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **evaporate** | present | the elevated temperature of the skin | the water |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent water=Patient |
| 2 | **land** | present | temperature |  |  |  |  |  | vn pocket-9.10-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The duck expels water from the feathers by vigorous flight

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks:e3:o2:1
# text = The duck expels water from the feathers by vigorous flight
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	expels	expel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	vigorous	vigorous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	flight	flight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **expel** | present | the duck | water |  | the feathers |  | by vigorous flight | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent water=Theme from feather=Source |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Oil from a gland near the tail is distributed over the feathers during preening

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks:e3:o3:1
# text = Oil from a gland near the tail is distributed over the feathers during preening
1	Oil	oil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	gland	gland	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	near	near	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	distributed	distribute	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	over	over	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
13	during	during	ADP	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
14	preening	preen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **distribute** | present · passive |  | Oil from a gland near the tail |  | the feathers |  |  | vn contribute-13.2-1 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **preen** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The feathers are impregnated with a wax which the duck obtains from water plants

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks:e3:o4:1
# text = The feathers are impregnated with a wax which the duck obtains from water plants
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	impregnated	impregnate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wax	wax	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	obj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	obtains	obtain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	plants	plant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **impregnate** | present · passive |  | the feathers |  |  |  | with a wax | vn fill-9.8 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination with wax=Theme |
| 2 | **obtain** | present | the duck | a wax |  | water plants |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent which=Theme from plant=Source |

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**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 -->

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- ← previous: [Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbit…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks/e2/)
- next →: [Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbit…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks/e4/)
- ↑ back to [Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck: real rabbits, hares and ducks](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/123-bugs-bunny-and-daffy-duck-real-rabbits-hares-and-ducks/)