---
title: In a cartoon an ostrich hides its head in the sand and the lion walk… — Myth check: do ostriches bury their he… · tree and pragmatics
description: In a cartoon an ostrich hides its head in the sand and the lion walks past. What is true? Test 1 of lesson 151 «Myth check: do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?» 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
---

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# Test 1 · Myth check: do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a cartoon an ostrich hides its head in the sand and the lion walks past. What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** ostrich, lion · **What happens:** hide, walk, be · **To what, where:** head, cartoon

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 151 «Myth check: do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?» 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/151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In a cartoon an ostrich hides its head in the sand and the lion walks past.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:1
# text = In a cartoon an ostrich hides its head in the sand and the lion walks past.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ostrich	ostrich	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	hides	hide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	lion	lion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	walks	walk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
16	past	past	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | a ostrich | ostrich's head |  | a cartoon |  | in the sand | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent head=Patient in cartoon=Location |
| 2 | **walk** | present | the lion |  |  |  |  | past *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «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 true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:2
# text = What is true?
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	true	true	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 |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A real ostrich would run, kick or lie flat; with its head in the sand it could not even breathe

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:o1:1
# text = A real ostrich would run, kick or lie flat; with its head in the sand it could not even breathe
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	ostrich	ostrich	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	run	run	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	kick	kick	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	lie	lie	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	_
10	flat	flat	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
12	with	with	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	obl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
18	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
19	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	22	advmod	_	_
21	even	even	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
22	breathe	breathe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run** | would | a real ostrich |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **kick** | infinitive | a real ostrich *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V apart»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **lie** | infinitive | a real ostrich *not said here* |  |  |  |  | flat *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **not** **breathe** | could | ostrich |  |  |  |  | with ostrich's head in the sand | vn breathe-40.1.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Only cartoon lions are fooled, but real lions are fooled by it too, which is why ostriches still do it

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:o2:1
# text = Only cartoon lions are fooled, but real lions are fooled by it too, which is why ostriches still do it
1	Only	only	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
2	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	lions	lion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	fooled	fool	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
8	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	lions	lion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	fooled	fool	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obl	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	cop	_	_
18	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	parataxis	_	_
19	ostriches	ostrich	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	nsubj	_	_
20	still	still	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	advcl:relcl	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fool** | present · passive |  | cartoon lions |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **fool** | present · passive |  | real lions |  |  |  | by it | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | why *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That is exactly what real ostriches do

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:o3:1
# text = That is exactly what real ostriches do
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	exactly	exactly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
5	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	ostriches	ostrich	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | That |  |  |  |  | exactly *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | real ostriches |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It works because lions cannot see bottoms

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t1:o4:1
# text = It works because lions cannot see bottoms
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	lions	lion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	bottoms	bottom	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **work** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **see** | can | lions | bottoms |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer bottom=Stimulus |

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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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- ↑ back to [Myth check: do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand/)