---
title: A person who copies whatever the crowd does is called «a lemming». I… — Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs? · tree and pragmatics
description: A person who copies whatever the crowd does is called «a lemming». Is that fair to real lemmings? Test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 150 «Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs?» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's c
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/t9/)

<!-- 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: do lemmings jump off cliffs?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/) / t9

# Test 9 · ★★★ · Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A person who copies whatever the crowd does is called «a lemming». Is that fair to real lemmings?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** person, crowd, that · **What happens:** copy, do, call, be · **To what, where:** whatever, person · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 150 «Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs?» 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/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A person who copies whatever the crowd does is called «a lemming».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:1
# text = A person who copies whatever the crowd does is called «a lemming».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
4	copies	copy	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	whatever	whatever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	obj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	lemming	lemming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **copy** | present | a person |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | the crowd | whatever |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent whatever=Eventuality |
| 3 | **call** | present · passive |  | a person |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

<!-- .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:* Is that fair to real lemmings?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:2
# text = Is that fair to real lemmings?
1	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
2	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lemmings	lemming	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, real lemmings do not follow each other off cliffs

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:o1:1
# text = No, real lemmings do not follow each other off cliffs
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	lemmings	lemming	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
8	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	det	_	_
9	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	off	off	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
11	cliffs	cliff	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **follow** | present · do-support | real lemmings | each other cliffs |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cliff=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, it was proven in a nature film

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:o2:1
# text = Yes, it was proven in a nature film
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	proven	prove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	nature	nature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | past · passive |  | it |  | a nature film |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, lemmings copy every move of the leader

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:o3:1
# text = Yes, lemmings copy every move of the leader
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	lemmings	lemming	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	copy	copy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	move	move	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	leader	leader	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **copy** | present | lemmings | every move of the leader |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent move=Theme |
| 2 | **move** |  | the leader |  |  |  |  |  | nom move «act intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, because lemmings never live in groups and always keep far apart from each other

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs:t9:o4:1
# text = No, because lemmings never live in groups and always keep far apart from each other
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	lemmings	lemming	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
6	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	groups	group	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	11	advmod	_	_
11	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
12	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
13	apart	apart	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	each	each	DET	DT	ExtPos=PRON|PronType=Rcp	11	obl	_	_
16	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	fixed	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **live** | present | lemmings |  |  | groups |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in group=Location |
| 2 | **keep** | infinitive | lemmings *not said here* |  |  | each |  | always, apart *property* | vn forbid-64.4 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer from each=Eventuality |

<!-- 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: do lemmings jump off cliffs?, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/t8/)
- next →: [Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs?, test 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/t10/)
- ↑ back to [Myth check: do lemmings jump off cliffs?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/150-myth-check-do-lemmings-jump-off-cliffs/)