---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Animal builders: termite mounds, weave… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the principal function of the elevated portion of a termite mound? Exam question 1 of lesson 243 «Animal builders: termite mounds, weaver birds and other nest makers» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency t
---

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# Exam question 1 · Animal builders: termite mounds, weaver birds and other ne…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the principal function of the elevated portion of a termite mound?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, characteris, elevate · **To what, where:** principal function

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This is exam question 1 of lesson 243 «Animal builders: termite mounds, weaver birds and other nest makers» 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/243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers:e1:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the principal function of the elevated portion of a termite mound?
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	11	det	_	_
10	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	function	function	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	elevated	elevate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	amod	_	_
15	portion	portion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	termite	termite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	compound	_	_
19	mound	mound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	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 principal function of the elevated portion of a termite mound |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **elevate** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 accommodates the entire population of the colony, the queen dwelling at its summit

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers:e1:o1:1
# text = It accommodates the entire population of the colony, the queen dwelling at its summit
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	accommodates	accommodate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	entire	entire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	population	population	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	colony	colony	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	queen	queen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
12	dwelling	dwell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	summit	summit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accommodate** | present | It | the entire population of the colony and the queen |  |  |  |  | vn adjust-26.9 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent population=Patient |
| 2 | **dwell** | gerund | the queen *not said here* |  |  | colony's summit |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at summit=Location |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a structure abandoned by the termites upon its completion

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers:e1:o2:1
# text = It is a structure abandoned by the termites upon its completion
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	structure	structure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	abandoned	abandon	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	termites	termite	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	completion	completion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a structure |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **abandon** | participle |  | a structure *not said here* |  |  |  | by the termites; upon structure's completion | vn leave-51.2 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **complete** |  | structure |  |  |  |  |  | nom completion «act transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It effects the exchange of stale and fresh air for the colony housed beneath

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers:e1:o3:1
# text = It effects the exchange of stale and fresh air for the colony housed beneath
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	effects	effect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	exchange	exchange	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	stale	stale	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	fresh	fresh	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	colony	colony	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	housed	house	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	beneath	beneath	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **effect** |  | It |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **house** | past | effects |  |  |  |  | beneath *property* | vn fit-54.3 «NP.location V NP»: agent=Location |
| 3 | **exchange** |  |  | stale air for the colony |  |  |  |  | nom exchange «phenomenon transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It serves exclusively as a lookout for the detection of predators

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:243-animal-builders-termite-mounds-weaver-birds-and-other-nest-makers:e1:o4:1
# text = It serves exclusively as a lookout for the detection of predators
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	serves	serve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	exclusively	exclusively	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lookout	lookout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	detection	detection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **serve** | present | It |  |  |  |  | as a lookout; for the detection of predators; exclusively *property* | vn masquerade-29.6-2 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent as lookout=Attribute |
| 2 | **detect** |  |  | predators |  |  |  |  | nom detection «cognition transitive»: of=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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