---
title: «pigeon in the station keeps nodding its head like it's listening to… — Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city… · tree and pragmatics
description: «pigeon in the station keeps nodding its head like it's listening to music lol» What is really going on? Test 1 of lesson 221 «Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city cliffs» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mo
---

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# Test 1 · Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city cliffs

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«pigeon in the station keeps nodding its head like it's listening to music lol» What is really going on?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** pigeon · **What happens:** keep, nod, listen, go on · **To what, where:** head

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This is test 1 of lesson 221 «Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city cliffs» 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/221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs/#t1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs:t1:1
# text = «pigeon in the station keeps nodding its head like it's listening to music lol» What is really going on?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	pigeon	pigeon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	station	station	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	nodding	nod	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	listening	listen	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
16	lol	lol	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
18	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	21	nsubj	_	_
19	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
20	really	really	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	going	go	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	xcomp	_	_
22	on	on	ADP	RP	_	21	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** *in a quote* | present | pigeon in the station |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **nod** *in a quote* | gerund | pigeon in the station *not said here* | pigeon's head |  |  |  |  | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent head=Patient |
| 3 | **listen** *in a quote* | present · progressive | pigeon |  |  |  |  | to music | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to music=Theme |
| 4 | **go on** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn function-105.2.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 bobbing to keep its balance while it stands on one leg

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs:t1:o1:1
# text = It is bobbing to keep its balance while it stands on one leg
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	bobbing	bob	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	balance	balance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stands	stand	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	nummod	_	_
13	leg	leg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bob** | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  | its balance |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent balance=Theme |
| 3 | **stand** | present | balance |  |  | one leg |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on leg=Location |
| 4 | **balance** |  | its *= it* |  |  |  |  |  | nom balance «state intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its head holds still at each step so its view stays steady

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs:t1:o2:1
# text = Its head holds still at each step so its view stays steady
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	still	still	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	step	step	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	view	view	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	stays	stay	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
12	steady	steady	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | Its head |  |  |  | still | at each step | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at step=Location |
| 2 | **stay** | present | head's view |  |  |  |  | steady *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **view** |  | head |  |  |  |  |  | nom view «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It really is nodding along to the music in the station

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs:t1:o3:1
# text = It really is nodding along to the music in the station
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	really	really	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	nodding	nod	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	along	along	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	station	station	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nod** | present · progressive | It |  | the music | the station |  | along *property* | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to music=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is trying to shake off fleas

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs:t1:o4:1
# text = It is trying to shake off fleas
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	trying	try	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	shake	shake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	off	off	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	fleas	flea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | present · progressive | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **shake off** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | fleas |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2 «NP V NP together»: agent=Agent flea=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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- ← previous: [Spiders and other minibeasts under log…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/220-spiders-and-other-minibeasts-under-logs-and-stones/e4/)
- next →: [Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Pigeons: head bobbing, homing and city cliffs](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/221-pigeons-head-bobbing-homing-and-city-cliffs/)