---
title: Ascertain the reason for which the African giant pouched rat is empl… — Rats and mice in the city, and the ele… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the reason for which the African giant pouched rat is employed in the detection of landmines. Exam question 4 of lesson 222 «Rats and mice in the city, and the elephant and mouse myth» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question a
---

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# Exam question 4 · Rats and mice in the city, and the elephant and mouse myth

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the reason for which the African giant pouched rat is employed in the detection of landmines.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** ascertain, employ, detect · **To what, where:** reason, African giant pouched rat, detection, landmines

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 222 «Rats and mice in the city, and the elephant and mouse myth» 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/222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth:e4:1
# text = Ascertain the reason for which the African giant pouched rat is employed in the detection of landmines.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	African	African	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	pouched	pouched	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	rat	rat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	employed	employ	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	detection	detection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	landmines	landmine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the reason |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Topic |
| 2 | **employ** | present · passive |  | the African giant pouched rat |  | the detection of landmines |  | for the reason | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: subject=Theme for which=Eventuality |
| 3 | **detect** |  |  | landmines |  |  |  |  | nom detection «cognition 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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its acute sense of smell is combined with a body weight insufficient to detonate them

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth:e4:o1:1
# text = Its acute sense of smell is combined with a body weight insufficient to detonate them
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	acute	acute	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	sense	sense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	combined	combine	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	weight	weight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
12	insufficient	insufficient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	detonate	detonate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **combine** | present · passive |  | Its acute sense of smell |  |  |  | with a body weight | vn mix-22.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: subject=Patient with weight=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **detonate** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 3 | **sense** |  | Its *= it* | smell |  |  |  |  | nom sense «cognition transitive»: poss=agent of=patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its teeth permit the safe dismantling of the devices once they have been located

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth:e4:o2:1
# text = Its teeth permit the safe dismantling of the devices once they have been located
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	permit	permit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	safe	safe	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	dismantling	dismantling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	devices	device	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
10	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	located	locate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present | Its teeth | the safe dismantling of the devices |  |  |  |  | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dismantling=Theme |
| 2 | **locate** | present · perfect · passive |  | teeth *= tooth* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **dismantle** |  |  | the devices |  |  |  |  | nom dismantling «act transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its hearing permits the detection of ticking mechanisms

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth:e4:o3:1
# text = Its hearing permits the detection of ticking mechanisms
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	hearing	hearing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	permits	permit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	detection	detection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	ticking	ticking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	mechanisms	mechanism	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present | Its hearing | the detection of ticking mechanisms |  |  |  |  | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent detection=Theme |
| 2 | **hear** |  | Its *= it* |  |  |  |  |  | nom hearing «act intransitive»: poss=agent |
| 3 | **detect** |  |  | ticking mechanisms |  |  |  |  | nom detection «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Its eyesight permits the observation of objects beneath the soil

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth:e4:o4:1
# text = Its eyesight permits the observation of objects beneath the soil
1	Its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	eyesight	eyesight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	permits	permit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	observation	observation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	objects	object	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	soil	soil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present | Its eyesight | the observation of objects |  | the soil |  |  | vn admit-64.3-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent observation=Theme beneath soil=Location |
| 2 | **observe** |  |  | objects |  |  |  |  | nom observation «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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 -->

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- ↑ back to [Rats and mice in the city, and the elephant and mouse myth](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/222-rats-and-mice-in-the-city-and-the-elephant-and-mouse-myth/)