---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, w… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the present state of scientific knowledge concerning the transfer of sugar between trees via fungi? Exam question 2 of lesson 252 «Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, warning smells and giant clones» of the biology course of Mova's pri
---

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# Exam question 2 · Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, warning smells and gi…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the present state of scientific knowledge concerning the transfer of sugar between trees via fungi?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** scientific knowledge · **What happens:** follow, characteris, concern, transfer · **To what, where:** present state, transfer, sugar

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This is exam question 2 of lesson 252 «Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, warning smells and giant clones» 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/252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones:e2:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the present state of scientific knowledge concerning the transfer of sugar between trees via fungi?
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	present	present	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	scientific	scientific	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	knowledge	knowledge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	acl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	transfer	transfer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	sugar	sugar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
20	between	between	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nmod	_	_
22	via	via	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	fungi	fungus	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	?	?	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 present state of scientific knowledge |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **concern** | gerund | scientific knowledge *not said here* | the transfer of sugar between trees |  |  |  | via fungi | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus transfer=Experiencer |
| 4 | **transfer** |  |  | sugar between trees |  |  |  |  | nom transfer «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 has been conclusively proven that all trees share equally with their neighbours

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones:e2:o1:1
# text = It has been conclusively proven that all trees share equally with their neighbours
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	conclusively	conclusively	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	proven	prove	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	share	share	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
10	equally	equally	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	neighbours	neighbour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prove** | present · perfect · passive |  | It |  |  |  | conclusively *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 2 | **share** | present | all trees |  |  |  |  | with trees's neighbours; equally *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has been conclusively disproven in all forests

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones:e2:o2:1
# text = It has been conclusively disproven in all forests
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	cop	_	_
4	conclusively	conclusively	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	disproven	disproven	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	forests	forest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present · perfect | It |  |  | all forests |  | conclusively, disproven *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It has never been the subject of investigation

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones:e2:o3:1
# text = It has never been the subject of investigation
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	subject	subject	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	investigation	investigation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present · perfect | It | the subject |  |  |  | of investigation | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some transfer is observed, but its extent and importance remain under debate

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones:e2:o4:1
# text = Some transfer is observed, but its extent and importance remain under debate
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	transfer	transfer	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	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
7	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	extent	extent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	importance	importance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
11	remain	remain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	under	under	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	debate	debate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **observe** | present · passive |  | some transfer |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |
| 2 | **remain** | present | transfer's extent and importance |  |  | debate |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under debate=Location |
| 3 | **extend** |  | transfer |  |  |  |  |  | nom extent «state transitive»: poss=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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- ← previous: [Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, w…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones/e1/)
- next →: [Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, w…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Plants deeper: do trees talk? Fungi, warning smells and giant clones](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/252-plants-deeper-do-trees-talk-fungi-warning-smells-and-giant-clones/)