---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Team players and partners: meerkats, n… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the conduct of a meerkat sentinel? Exam question 1 of lesson 241 «Team players and partners: meerkats, naked mole rats, huddles, cleaners (and do lemmings jump?)» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree 
---

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# Exam question 1 · Team players and partners: meerkats, naked mole rats, hudd…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the conduct of a meerkat sentinel?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, characteris, conduct · **To what, where:** conduct, meerkat sentinel

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This is exam question 1 of lesson 241 «Team players and partners: meerkats, naked mole rats, huddles, cleaners (and do lemmings jump?)» 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/241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings:e1:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the conduct of a meerkat sentinel?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	amod	_	_
5	statements	statement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
6	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	7	advmod	_	_
7	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	meerkat	meerkat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	sentinel	sentinel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | the conduct of a meerkat sentinel |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **conduct** |  |  | a meerkat sentinel |  |  |  |  | nom conduct «act 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It consumes the food gathered by its companions while they are distracted

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings:e1:o1:1
# text = It consumes the food gathered by its companions while they are distracted
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	consumes	consume	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	gathered	gather	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	companions	companion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	distracted	distract	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **consume** | present | It | the food |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent food=Asset |
| 2 | **gather** | participle |  | the food *not said here* |  |  |  | by food's companions | vn herd-47.5.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **distract** | present · passive |  | companions *= companion* |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It maintains watch for predators while its companions forage, issuing distinct alarm calls

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings:e1:o2:1
# text = It maintains watch for predators while its companions forage, issuing distinct alarm calls
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	maintains	maintain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	watch	watch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	companions	companion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	compound	_	_
9	forage	forage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	issuing	issue	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
12	distinct	distinct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	alarm	alarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **maintain** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1 «NP V what S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **watch** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | for predators | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for predator=Theme |
| 3 | **issue** | gerund |  | distinct alarm calls |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location call=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It forages alone and avoids the group entirely

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings:e1:o3:1
# text = It forages alone and avoids the group entirely
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	forages	forage	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	avoids	avoid	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	entirely	entirely	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forage** | present | It |  |  |  |  | alone *property* | vn rummage-35.5-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **avoid** | present |  | the group |  |  |  | entirely *property* | vn avoid-52 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent group=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It remains permanently in that office throughout its whole life, never digging

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:241-team-players-and-partners-meerkats-naked-mole-rats-huddles-cleaners-and-lemmings:e1:o4:1
# text = It remains permanently in that office throughout its whole life, never digging
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	remains	remain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	permanently	permanently	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	det	_	_
6	office	office	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	throughout	throughout	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	13	advmod	_	_
13	digging	dig	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remain** | present | It |  |  | that office | throughout office's whole life | permanently *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in office=Location |
| 2 | **not** **dig** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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