---
title: «they grow to fit the bowl, so a small bowl keeps 'em cute and small… — Myth check: do goldfish have a three-s… · tree and pragmatics
description: «they grow to fit the bowl, so a small bowl keeps 'em cute and small» What is right? Test 6 · ★ of lesson 152 «Myth check: do goldfish have a three-second memory?» 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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# Test 6 · ★ · Myth check: do goldfish have a three-second memory?

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«they grow to fit the bowl, so a small bowl keeps 'em cute and small» What is right?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** they, small bowl · **What happens:** grow, fit, keep, be · **To what, where:** bowl, 'em · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★ of lesson 152 «Myth check: do goldfish have a three-second memory?» 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/152-goldfish-memory/#t6).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:152-goldfish-memory:t6:1
# text = «they grow to fit the bowl, so a small bowl keeps 'em cute and small» What is right?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	fit	fit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
14	'em	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	cute	cute	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
19	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	21	nsubj	_	_
20	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
21	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grow** *in a quote* | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fit** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | they *not said here* | the bowl |  |  |  |  | vn adjust-26.9 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bowl=Patient |
| 3 | **keep** *in a quote* | present | a small bowl | 'em *= they* |  |  |  | cute *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | right *property* | 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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A small bowl stunts their growth and makes them ill; they need a big filtered tank

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:152-goldfish-memory:t6:o1:1
# text = A small bowl stunts their growth and makes them ill; they need a big filtered tank
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	stunts	stunt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	growth	growth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
12	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	need	need	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
15	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	filtered	filter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	amod	_	_
17	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stunt** | present | a small bowl | their growth |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | a small bowl *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  | ill *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset they=Product |
| 3 | **need** | present | they | a big filtered tank |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot tank=Theme |
| 4 | **filter** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_instr-10.4.2 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **grow** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom growth «process intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, and it makes them live longer

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:152-goldfish-memory:t6:o2:1
# text = Yes, and it makes them live longer
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	longer	long	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | it | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | infinitive | them *= they* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, they shrink back down if they are put in a big tank, so small bowls are best

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:152-goldfish-memory:t6:o3:1
# text = No, they shrink back down if they are put in a big tank, so small bowls are best
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	4	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	shrink	shrink	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	down	down	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	advcl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
16	so	so	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
17	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	bowls	bowl	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nsubj	_	_
19	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
20	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shrink back** | present | they |  |  |  |  | down *property* | vn bend-45.2 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **put** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · passive |  | they |  | a big tank |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme in tank=Destination |
| 3 | **is** | present | small bowls |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, that is how it works

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:152-goldfish-memory:t6:o4:1
# text = Yes, that is how it works
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	works	work	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | how *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **work** | present | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn employment-95.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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