---
title: Why might a zoo elephant splash mud over itself even though it isn't… — Elephants: the trunk and everything it… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why might a zoo elephant splash mud over itself even though it isn't dirty? Test 6 of lesson 21 «Elephants: the trunk and everything it does» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was right.
---

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# Test 6 · Elephants: the trunk and everything it does

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why might a zoo elephant splash mud over itself even though it isn't dirty?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** splash mud · **What happens:** not be

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 of lesson 21 «Elephants: the trunk and everything it does» 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/21-elephants-the-trunk/#t6).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:21-elephants-the-trunk:t6:1
# text = Why might a zoo elephant splash mud over itself even though it isn't dirty?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
2	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	zoo	zoo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	splash	splash	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
8	over	over	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	7	nmod	_	_
10	even	even	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
11	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
15	dirty	dirty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | might | a splash mud over mud |  |  |  |  | dirty *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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is hiding from the zookeeper

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:21-elephants-the-trunk:t6:o1:1
# text = It is hiding from the zookeeper
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	hiding	hide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	zookeeper	zookeeper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present · progressive | It |  |  | the zookeeper |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent from zookeeper=Beneficiary |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its skin is so thick and tough that it feels nothing anyway

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:21-elephants-the-trunk:t6:o2:1
# text = Its skin is so thick and tough that it feels nothing anyway
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	tough	tough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	conj	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	feels	feel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
11	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	10	obj	_	_
12	anyway	anyway	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Its skin |  |  |  |  | thick *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** |  | Its skin *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **feel** | present | skin | nothing |  |  |  | anyway *property* | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It needs the mud to make its tusks grow

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:21-elephants-the-trunk:t6:o3:1
# text = It needs the mud to make its tusks grow
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	needs	need	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	tusks	tusk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	grow	grow	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **need** | present | It | the mud |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot mud=Theme |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **grow** | present | mud's tusks |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mud and dust protect its skin and the wrinkles hold water to cool it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:21-elephants-the-trunk:t6:o4:1
# text = Mud and dust protect its skin and the wrinkles hold water to cool it
1	Mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	dust	dust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	protect	protect	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	wrinkles	wrinkle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	hold	hold	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
11	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	cool	cool	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | present | Mud and dust | dust's skin |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skin=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **hold** | present | the wrinkles | water |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent water=Theme |
| 3 | **cool** | to-infinitive | the wrinkles *not said here* | water |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

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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.

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