---
title: Ascertain the conduct of the skunk prior to the discharge of its spr… — Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehog… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the conduct of the skunk prior to the discharge of its spray. Exam question 4 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 choice was rig
---

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# Exam question 4 · Defences: skunks, porcupines, hedgehogs and armour

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the conduct of the skunk prior to the discharge of its spray.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** ascertain, conduct, discharge · **To what, where:** conduct, skunk, spray

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e4:1
# text = Ascertain the conduct of the skunk prior to the discharge of its spray.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	skunk	skunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	prior	prior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	10	case	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	discharge	discharge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	spray	spray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	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 conduct of the skunk |  |  |  | prior the discharge of discharge's spray | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent conduct=Topic |
| 2 | **conduct** |  |  | the skunk |  |  |  |  | nom conduct «act transitive»: of=patient |
| 3 | **discharge** |  |  | discharge's spray |  |  |  |  | nom discharge «event 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It discharges its spray without any prior warning whatsoever, even at the faintest sound

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e4:o1:1
# text = It discharges its spray without any prior warning whatsoever, even at the faintest sound
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	discharges	discharge	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	spray	spray	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	without	without	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
7	prior	prior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	warning	warning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	even	even	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	faintest	faint	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	15	amod	_	_
15	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discharge** | present | It | its spray |  |  |  | without any prior warning; whatsoever *property* | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent spray=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It summons other skunks by a loud call

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e4:o2:1
# text = It summons other skunks by a loud call
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	summons	summon	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	skunks	skunk	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	call	call	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **summon** | present | It | other skunks |  |  |  | by a loud call | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent skunk=Recipient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It retreats into a burrow and seals the entrance

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e4:o3:1
# text = It retreats into a burrow and seals the entrance
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	retreats	retreat	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	burrow	burrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	seals	seal	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	entrance	entrance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **retreat** | present | It |  |  | a burrow |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme into burrow=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **seal** | present |  | the entrance |  |  |  |  | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent entrance=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It issues warnings by stamping, hissing and the raising of its tail

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour:e4:o4:1
# text = It issues warnings by stamping, hissing and the raising of its tail
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	issues	issue	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	compound	_	_
3	warnings	warning	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	stamping	stamp	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	hissing	hiss	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	conj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	raising	raising	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stamp** | gerund | issues warnings and the raising of raising's tail *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **hiss** | gerund | issues warnings and the raising of raising's tail *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **raise** |  |  | raising's tail |  |  |  |  | nom raising «event 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.

<!-- /div -->

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