---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — More animal myths: red rags, camel hum… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the defence of the porcupine? Exam question 3 of lesson 154 «More animal myths: red rags, camel humps, porcupine arrows, toads and falling cats» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/e3/)

<!-- 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/) / [More animal myths: red rags, camel hum…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/) / e3

# Exam question 3 · More animal myths: red rags, camel humps, porcupine arrows…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the defence of the porcupine?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, characteris, defend · **To what, where:** defence, porcupine

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 154 «More animal myths: red rags, camel humps, porcupine arrows, toads and falling cats» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons:e3:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the defence of the porcupine?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	defence	defence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	porcupine	porcupine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the defence of the porcupine |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **defend** |  |  | the porcupine |  |  |  |  | nom defence «process transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Quills are expelled only upon the animal sneezing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons:e3:o1:1
# text = Quills are expelled only upon the animal sneezing
1	Quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	expelled	expel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	sneezing	sneezing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **expel** | present · passive |  | Quills |  |  |  | upon the animal sneezing | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Quills contain a venom that is sprayed upon the attacker

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons:e3:o2:1
# text = Quills contain a venom that is sprayed upon the attacker
1	Quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	contain	contain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	venom	venom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	sprayed	spray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	_
8	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	attacker	attacker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **contain** | present | Quills | a venom |  |  |  |  | vn comprise-107.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot venom=Theme |
| 2 | **spray** | present · passive |  | a venom |  | the attacker |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: subject=Theme upon attacker=Destination |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Barbed quills detach upon contact and lodge in the attacker, a warning being given beforehand

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons:e3:o3:1
# text = Barbed quills detach upon contact and lodge in the attacker, a warning being given beforehand
1	Barbed	barb	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	detach	detach	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	contact	contact	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	lodge	lodge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	attacker	attacker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
14	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
16	beforehand	beforehand	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **barb** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **detach** | present | Barbed quills |  |  |  |  | upon contact and lodge in the attacker and a warning | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **give** | gerund · passive |  | a warning *not said here* |  |  |  | beforehand *property* | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V» |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Quills are discharged at a distance in the manner of arrows

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons:e3:o4:1
# text = Quills are discharged at a distance in the manner of arrows
1	Quills	quill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	discharged	discharge	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	distance	distance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	arrows	arrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discharge** | present · passive |  | Quills |  |  |  | at a distance in the manner of arrows | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

<!-- 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: [More animal myths: red rags, camel hum…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/e2/)
- next →: [More animal myths: red rags, camel hum…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/e4/)
- ↑ back to [More animal myths: red rags, camel humps, porcupine arrows, toads and falling cats](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/154-more-animal-myths-from-cartoons/)