---
title: In a cartoon a moth flies at a lamp because it wants to eat the ligh… — Butterflies, moths and ladybirds · tree and pragmatics
description: In a cartoon a moth flies at a lamp because it wants to eat the light. What is true? Test 9 · ★ of lesson 219 «Butterflies, moths and ladybirds» 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 wrong.
---

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# Test 9 · ★ · Butterflies, moths and ladybirds

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a cartoon a moth flies at a lamp because it wants to eat the light. What is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** moth · **What happens:** fly, want, eat, be · **To what, where:** cartoon, light

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★ of lesson 219 «Butterflies, moths and ladybirds» 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/219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds/#t9).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In a cartoon a moth flies at a lamp because it wants to eat the light.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:1
# text = In a cartoon a moth flies at a lamp because it wants to eat the light.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	moth	moth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	flies	fly	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	lamp	lamp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | a moth |  |  | a cartoon |  | at a lamp | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in cartoon=Location |
| 2 | **want** | present | moth |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **eat** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | moth *not said here* | the light |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent light=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:2
# text = What is true?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real moths get confused and keep their backs to the light

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:o1:1
# text = Real moths get confused and keep their backs to the light
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	backs	back	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | Real moths |  |  |  |  | confused *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **keep** | infinitive | Real moths *not said here* | moths's backs |  |  |  | to the light | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent back=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real moths think lamps are big flowers full of sweet nectar

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:o2:1
# text = Real moths think lamps are big flowers full of sweet nectar
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	think	think	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	lamps	lamp	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	ccomp	_	_
8	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	nectar	nectar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | present | Real moths |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | lamps | big flowers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real moths fly at lamps to lay eggs on them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:o3:1
# text = Real moths fly at lamps to lay eggs on them
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	lamps	lamp	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	lay	lay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
8	eggs	egg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | present | Real moths |  |  | lamps |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at lamp=Location |
| 2 | **lay** | to-infinitive | Real moths *not said here* | eggs |  |  |  | on moths *= moth* | vn put\_spatial-9.2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent egg=Theme on they=Destination |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Real moths do eat light to make energy

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:219-butterflies-moths-and-ladybirds:t9:o4:1
# text = Real moths do eat light to make energy
1	Real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	moths	moth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **eat** | present · do-support | Real moths | light |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent light=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | Real moths *not said here* | energy |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset energy=Product |

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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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