---
title: «mate says ostriches are thick, they hide their heads and leave thei… — Myth check: do ostriches bury their he… · tree and pragmatics
description: «mate says ostriches are thick, they hide their heads and leave their bum out lol» What is the best answer? Test 5 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 eac
---

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# Test 5 · Myth check: do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«mate says ostriches are thick, they hide their heads and leave their bum out lol» What is the best answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** mate, ostriches, best answer · **What happens:** say, be, hide, leave out · **To what, where:** heads, bum · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 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/#t5).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t5:1
# text = «mate says ostriches are thick, they hide their heads and leave their bum out lol» What is the best answer?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	mate	mate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	ostriches	ostrich	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	hide	hide	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
10	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	heads	head	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	leave	leave	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
14	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	bum	bum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	out	out	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	_
17	lol	lol	INTJ	UH	_	13	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
19	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	parataxis	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	23	amod	_	_
23	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present | mate |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | ostriches |  |  |  |  | thick *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **hide** *in a quote* | present | ostriches *= ostrich* | ostriches's heads |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent head=Patient |
| 4 | **leave out** *in a quote* | present | ostriches *= ostrich* *not said here* | ostriches's bum |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bum=Theme |
| 5 | **is a** | present | the best answer |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They are not foolish: they turn their eggs carefully, guard their chicks and run very fast

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t5:o1:1
# text = They are not foolish: they turn their eggs carefully, guard their chicks and run very fast
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
6	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	turn	turn	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	carefully	carefully	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	guard	guard	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	chicks	chick	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	run	run	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
17	very	very	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	16	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | present | They |  |  |  |  | foolish *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **turn** | present | they | their eggs |  |  |  | carefully *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent egg=Theme |
| 3 | **guard** | present | they *not said here* |  | eggs's chicks |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent chick=Beneficiary |
| 4 | **run** | present | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, because their brain is smaller than their eyes, so they cannot think properly at all

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t5:o2:1
# text = Yes, because their brain is smaller than their eyes, so they cannot think properly at all
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	brain	brain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	parataxis	_	_
17	properly	properly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | their brain |  |  |  |  | than their eyes; small *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **think** *speech: other* | can | eyes *= eye* |  |  | all |  | properly *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, but only the males do it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t5:o3:1
# text = Yes, but only the males do it
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	7	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
3	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	males	male	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | the males | it |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's right, they're the dumbest birds

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:151-ostriches-and-heads-in-the-sand:t5:o4:1
# text = He's right, they're the dumbest birds
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	're	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	dumbest	dumb	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	9	amod	_	_
9	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | right *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | they | the dumbest birds |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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