---
title: Ascertain the reason for which a brown and speckled gull is commonly… — Gulls: chip thieves, rain dances and s… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the reason for which a brown and speckled gull is commonly observed alongside grey and white adults. Exam question 4 of lesson 223 «Gulls: chip thieves, rain dances and salty water» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and 
---

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# Exam question 4 · Gulls: chip thieves, rain dances and salty water

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the reason for which a brown and speckled gull is commonly observed alongside grey and white adults.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** ascertain, speckle, observe · **To what, where:** reason, brown gull

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 223 «Gulls: chip thieves, rain dances and salty water» 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/223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water:e4:1
# text = Ascertain the reason for which a brown and speckled gull is commonly observed alongside grey and white adults.
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	13	obl	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	brown	brown	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	speckled	speckle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	_
10	gull	gull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
12	commonly	commonly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	_
14	alongside	alongside	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	conj	_	_
18	adults	adult	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	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 | **speckle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **observe** | present · passive |  | a brown gull |  |  |  | for the reason; alongside grey adults; commonly *property* | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location PP.theme»: subject=Location for which=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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an elderly bird whose plumage has faded with advancing age

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water:e4:o1:1
# text = It is an elderly bird whose plumage has faded with advancing age
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	plumage	plumage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	faded	fade	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	advancing	advancing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	age	age	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a elderly bird |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **fade** | present · perfect | plumage |  |  |  | with advancing age |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent with age=Instrument |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an adult bird whose feathers have been soiled with mud

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water:e4:o2:1
# text = It is an adult bird whose feathers have been soiled with mud
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	adult	adult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	soiled	soil	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a adult bird |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **soil** | present · perfect · passive |  | feathers |  |  |  | with mud | vn butter-9.9 «NP V NP PP.theme»: subject=Destination with mud=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a separate species which never acquires grey plumage

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water:e4:o3:1
# text = It is a separate species which never acquires grey plumage
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	separate	separate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	species	species	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	acquires	acquire	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	plumage	plumage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a separate species |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **acquire** | present | a separate species | grey plumage |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset plumage=Theme |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is an immature bird which has not yet acquired adult plumage

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:223-gulls-chip-thieves-rain-dances-and-salty-water:e4:o4:1
# text = It is an immature bird which has not yet acquired adult plumage
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	immature	immature	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
9	yet	yet	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	acquired	acquire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
11	adult	adult	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	plumage	plumage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a immature bird |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **acquire** | present · perfect · passive |  | a immature bird |  |  | yet |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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- next →: [Raccoons, opossums and skunks, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/224-raccoons-opossums-and-skunks/t1/)
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