---
title: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the… — Plants deeper: the oldest, tallest and… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the means by which water ascends a tall tree? Exam question 1 of lesson 253 «Plants deeper: the oldest, tallest and strangest trees» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question
---

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# Exam question 1 · Plants deeper: the oldest, tallest and strangest trees

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the means by which water ascends a tall tree?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** the, water · **What happens:** follow, characteris, mean, ascend · **To what, where:** tall tree · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 253 «Plants deeper: the oldest, tallest and strangest trees» 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/253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees:e1:1
# text = Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the means by which water ascends a tall tree?
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	nsubj	_	_
10	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
11	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	13	det	_	_
13	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	ascends	ascend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	ccomp	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	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 |  |  |  |  |  | of the following statements; accurately *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **ascend** | present | which water | a tall tree |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme tree=Trajectory |

<!-- .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 -->
A muscular organ within the trunk propels the water upwards

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees:e1:o1:1
# text = A muscular organ within the trunk propels the water upwards
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	muscular	muscular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	organ	organ	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	within	within	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	propels	propel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	upwards	upwards	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propel** | present | a muscular organ within the trunk | the water |  |  |  | upwards *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The roots exert a pressure sufficient by itself to raise water to any height whatsoever, however tall the tree

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees:e1:o2:1
# text = The roots exert a pressure sufficient by itself to raise water to any height whatsoever, however tall the tree
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	roots	root	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	exert	exert	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	pressure	pressure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	sufficient	sufficient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	raise	raise	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
11	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	height	height	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
15	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	however	however	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exert** | infinitive | the roots | a pressure |  |  |  | by pressure; sufficient *property* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pressure=Theme |
| 2 | **raise** | to-infinitive | the roots *not said here* | water |  | any height |  | whatsoever *property* | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent water=Theme to height=Destination |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The evaporation of water from the leaves draws a continuous column of water upwards through narrow tubes

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees:e1:o3:1
# text = The evaporation of water from the leaves draws a continuous column of water upwards through narrow tubes
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	evaporation	evaporation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
8	draws	draw	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	continuous	continuous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	column	column	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
14	upwards	upwards	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
15	through	through	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	narrow	narrow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	tubes	tube	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | present | the evaporation of water from the leaves | a continuous column of water |  | narrow tubes |  | upwards *property* | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent column=Theme |
| 2 | **evaporate** |  |  | water |  | the leaves |  |  | nom evaporation «process transitive»: of=patient from=place |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The water is conveyed upwards by the action of the wind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:253-plants-deeper-the-oldest-tallest-and-strangest-trees:e1:o4:1
# text = The water is conveyed upwards by the action of the wind
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	water	water	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	conveyed	convey	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	upwards	upwards	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **convey** | present · passive | the action of the wind | the water |  |  |  | upwards *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent subject=Topic |
| 2 | **act** |  | the wind |  |  |  |  |  | nom action «act intransitive»: of=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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