---
title: Identify the principal reason for which a tortoise is incapable of v… — Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehog… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which a tortoise is incapable of vacating its shell. Exam question 2 of lesson 248 «Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs and armour» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's
---

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# Exam question 2 · Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs and armour

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which a tortoise is incapable of vacating its shell.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, tortoise, incapable · **What happens:** identify, be, vacate · **To what, where:** principal reason, incapable, shell

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 248 «Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs and armour» 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/248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which a tortoise is incapable of vacating its shell.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	obl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	incapable	incapable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
11	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	vacating	vacate	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a tortoise | incapable |  |  |  | for the principal reason | tree rules |
| 3 | **vacate** | gerund | incapable *not said here* | tortoise's shell |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme shell=Initial\_Location |

<!-- .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 -->
The shell is fastened by a lock of hardened mud

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e2:o1:1
# text = The shell is fastened by a lock of hardened mud
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	fastened	fasten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lock	lock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	hardened	harden	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	_
10	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fasten** | present · passive | a lock of hardened mud | the shell |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **harden** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tortoise is too large to pass through the openings

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e2:o2:1
# text = The tortoise is too large to pass through the openings
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	large	large	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	pass	pass	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	through	through	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	openings	opening	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the tortoise |  |  |  |  | large *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **pass** | to-infinitive | the tortoise *not said here* |  |  | the openings |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme through opening=Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shell is cemented to the skin by saliva which sets as hard as stone

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e2:o3:1
# text = The shell is cemented to the skin by saliva which sets as hard as stone
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	cemented	cement	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	skin	skin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	saliva	saliva	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
11	sets	set	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	as	as	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cement** | present · passive | saliva | the shell |  |  |  | to the skin | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent subject=Patient to skin=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **is** | present | saliva |  |  |  |  | as stone; hard *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The shell forms part of its skeleton, being joined to the backbone and ribs

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e2:o4:1
# text = The shell forms part of its skeleton, being joined to the backbone and ribs
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	shell	shell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	forms	form	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	skeleton	skeleton	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	joined	join	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	conj	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	backbone	backbone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	ribs	rib	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **form** | present | the shell | part of shell's skeleton |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location part=Theme |
| 2 | **join** | gerund · passive | the shell *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to the backbone and ribs | vn mix-22.1-2-1 «NP V PP.patient»: to backbone=Co-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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- ← previous: [Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehog…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour/e1/)
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- ↑ back to [Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs and armour](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour/)