---
title: In Dumbo, the elephant ladies shriek and climb on each other when Ti… — Myth check: are elephants scared of mi… · tree and pragmatics
description: In Dumbo, the elephant ladies shriek and climb on each other when Timothy the mouse appears. What is real? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 149 «Myth check: are elephants scared of mice?» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option;
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/t2/)

<!-- 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/) / [Myth check: are elephants scared of mi…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/) / t2

# Test 2 · ★★ · Myth check: are elephants scared of mice?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In Dumbo, the elephant ladies shriek and climb on each other when Timothy the mouse appears. What is real?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** elephant ladies, Timothy · **What happens:** shriek, climb, appear, be · **To what, where:** Dumbo, each

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 149 «Myth check: are elephants scared of mice?» of the biology course of Mova's primary school. 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/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/#t2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In Dumbo, the elephant ladies shriek and climb on each other when Timothy the mouse appears.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:1
# text = In Dumbo, the elephant ladies shriek and climb on each other when Timothy the mouse appears.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	Dumbo	Dumbo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	ladies	lady	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	shriek	shriek	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	climb	climb	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	9	obl	_	_
12	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	fixed	_	_
13	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	17	advmod	_	_
14	Timothy	Timothy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	mouse	mouse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
17	appears	appear	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shriek** | present | the elephant ladies |  |  | Dumbo |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in dumbo=Location |
| 2 | **climb** | present | the elephant ladies *not said here* |  |  | each |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on each=Trajectory |
| 3 | **appear** | present | Timothy |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is real?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:2
# text = What is real?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | real *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real elephants faint at the sight of mice, which is why zoos keep mice out of their enclosures

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:o1:1
# text = Real elephants faint at the sight of mice, which is why zoos keep mice out of their enclosures
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	faint	faint	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sight	sight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	acl:relcl	_	_
13	zoos	zoo	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nsubj	_	_
14	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl:relcl	_	_
15	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obj	_	_
16	out	out	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	enclosures	enclosure	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **faint** | present | Real elephants |  |  |  |  | at the sight of mice | vn change\_bodily\_state-40.8.4 «NP V PP.stimulus»: agent=Experiencer at sight=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | present | mice |  |  |  |  | why *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **keep** | present | zoos | mice |  | zoos's enclosures |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent mouse=Theme out enclosure=Location |
| 4 | **sight** |  |  | mice |  |  |  |  | nom sight «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real elephants climb trees to escape mice

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:o2:1
# text = Real elephants climb trees to escape mice
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	climb	climb	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **climb** | present | Real elephants | trees |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location tree=Theme |
| 2 | **escape** | to-infinitive | Real elephants *not said here* | mice |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme mouse=Initial\_Location |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Elephants may startle at any sudden small thing; there is no good evidence of a special fear of mice

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:o3:1
# text = Elephants may startle at any sudden small thing; there is no good evidence of a special fear of mice
1	Elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	startle	startle	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
6	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	11	expl	_	_
11	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
12	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	14	det	_	_
13	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	special	special	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | may | Elephants |  |  | any sudden small thing |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **be** | present | no good evidence of a special fear of mice |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **evidence** |  |  | a special fear of mice |  |  |  |  | nom evidence «cognition transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **fear** |  |  | mice |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real elephants chase mice to eat them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice:t2:o4:1
# text = Real elephants chase mice to eat them
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	elephants	elephant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	chase	chase	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **chase** | present | Real elephants | mice |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mouse=Theme |
| 2 | **eat** | to-infinitive | Real elephants *not said here* | mice *= mouse* |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=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: [Myth check: are elephants scared of mi…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/t1/)
- next →: [Myth check: are elephants scared of mi…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/t3/)
- ↑ back to [Myth check: are elephants scared of mice?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/149-myth-check-are-elephants-scared-of-mice/)