---
title: In a cartoon, the dodo is a dim, clumsy bird that trips over its own… — Extinct forever: the dodo, the passeng… · tree and pragmatics
description: In a cartoon, the dodo is a dim, clumsy bird that trips over its own feet. What is the real story? Test 1 of lesson 281 «Extinct forever: the dodo, the passenger pigeon, the thylacine and more» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question an
---

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# Test 1 · Extinct forever: the dodo, the passenger pigeon, the thyla…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a cartoon, the dodo is a dim, clumsy bird that trips over its own feet. What is the real story?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** dodo, dim clumsy bird, real story · **What happens:** be, trip · **To what, where:** dim clumsy bird, cartoon, own feet

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 of lesson 281 «Extinct forever: the dodo, the passenger pigeon, the thylacine and more» of the biology course of Mova's primary school. 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/281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more/#t1).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In a cartoon, the dodo is a dim, clumsy bird that trips over its own feet.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:1
# text = In a cartoon, the dodo is a dim, clumsy bird that trips over its own feet.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cartoon	cartoon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	dodo	dodo	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	dim	dim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	clumsy	clumsy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	trips	trip	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	over	over	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
17	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	feet	foot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the dodo | a dim clumsy bird |  | a cartoon |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **trip** | present | a dim clumsy bird |  |  | dodo's own feet |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over foot=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is the real story?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:2
# text = What is the real story?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the real story |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is still living on Mauritius

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:o1:1
# text = It is still living on Mauritius
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	aux	_	_
3	still	still	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	living	live	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Mauritius	Mauritius	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present · progressive | It |  |  | Mauritius | still |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on mauritius=Location |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It really was too stupid to live, so it walked up to hunters and could not learn to run away

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:o2:1
# text = It really was too stupid to live, so it walked up to hunters and could not learn to run away
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	really	really	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	too	too	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	live	live	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
12	up	up	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	hunters	hunter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	learn	learn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	conj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	run	run	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	18	xcomp	_	_
21	away	away	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | It |  |  |  |  | stupid *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **walk up** | past | it |  |  |  |  | to hunters *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme to hunter=Result |
| 4 | **not** **learn** | could |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **run away** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was not stupid; it had never met predators and could not cope with the animals people brought

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:o3:1
# text = It was not stupid; it had never met predators and could not cope with the animals people brought
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	stupid	stupid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	met	meet	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	4	parataxis	_	_
10	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	cope	cope	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
18	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nsubj	_	_
19	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is** | past | It |  |  |  |  | stupid *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **meet** | past · perfect | it | predators |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent predator=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **not** **cope** | could |  |  |  |  |  | with the animals | vn cope-83-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent with animal=Theme |
| 4 | **bring** | past | people | the animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument animal=Destination |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It died out because it could not walk

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:281-extinct-forever-the-dodo-the-passenger-pigeon-the-thylacine-and-more:t1:o4:1
# text = It died out because it could not walk
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	walk	walk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **die out** | past | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **not** **walk** | could | it |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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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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