---
title: Identify the principal reason for which geese fly in a V formation. — Ducks, geese and farm myths · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which geese fly in a V formation. Exam question 2 of lesson 213 «Ducks, geese and farm myths» 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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# Exam question 2 · Ducks, geese and farm myths

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which geese fly in a V formation.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, geese · **What happens:** identify, fly · **To what, where:** principal reason, V formation

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This is exam question 2 of lesson 213 «Ducks, geese and farm myths» 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/213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which geese fly in a V formation.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	obl	_	_
7	geese	goose	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	V	v	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	formation	formation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **fly** | present | geese |  |  | a V formation |  | for the principal reason | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V NP.theme PP»: agent=Agent in formation=Location |

<!-- .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 -->
The formation spells a letter for observers below

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths:e2:o1:1
# text = The formation spells a letter for observers below
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	formation	formation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	spells	spell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	observers	observer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	below	below	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | present | the formation | a letter |  |  |  | for observers | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The leading bird alone knows the destination, the others following it closely so as not to lose the way

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths:e2:o2:1
# text = The leading bird alone knows the destination, the others following it closely so as not to lose the way
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	leading	lead	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	amod	_	_
3	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	destination	destination	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	others	other	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
11	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	closely	closely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
15	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
16	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	lose	lose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lead** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Precondition |
| 2 | **know** | present | the leading bird | the destination and the others |  |  |  | closely *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer destination=Stimulus |
| 3 | **follow** | gerund | the others *not said here* | bird |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 4 | **not** **lose** | to-infinitive | the leading bird *not said here* | the way |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Eventuality |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each bird derives lift from the air rising off the wingtip of the bird preceding it, thereby conserving energy

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths:e2:o3:1
# text = Each bird derives lift from the air rising off the wingtip of the bird preceding it, thereby conserving energy
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	derives	derive	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	lift	lift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	off	off	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wingtip	wingtip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	preceding	precede	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	acl	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	thereby	thereby	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	conserving	conserve	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
20	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **derive** | present | each bird | lift |  | the air |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP PP.material»: agent=Agent lift=Result from air=Material |
| 2 | **rise** | gerund | the air *not said here* |  |  | the wingtip of the bird |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme off wingtip=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **precede** | gerund | the bird *not said here* | bird |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme it=Co-Theme |
| 4 | **conserve** | gerund | each bird *not said here* | energy |  |  |  | thereby *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The formation permits communication by gesture

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:213-ducks-geese-and-farm-myths:e2:o4:1
# text = The formation permits communication by gesture
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	formation	formation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	permits	permit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	communication	communication	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	gesture	gesture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present | the formation | communication |  |  |  | by gesture | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent communication=Theme by gesture=Location |

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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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