---
title: Ascertain the principal distinction between beetles and the insects… — Beetles: the biggest group of animals… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the principal distinction between beetles and the insects that scientists term true bugs. Exam question 4 of lesson 306 «Beetles: the biggest group of animals on Earth, wing cases and six legs» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the q
---

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# Exam question 4 · Beetles: the biggest group of animals on Earth, wing cases…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the principal distinction between beetles and the insects that scientists term true bugs.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, that · **What happens:** ascertain, bug · **To what, where:** principal distinction

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 306 «Beetles: the biggest group of animals on Earth, wing cases and six legs» 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/306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs:e4:1
# text = Ascertain the principal distinction between beetles and the insects that scientists term true bugs.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	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	distinction	distinction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	between	between	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
11	scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	compound	_	_
12	term	term	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	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 principal distinction |  |  |  | between beetles and the insects and term true bugs | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent distinction=Topic |
| 2 | **bug** |  | that |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
Beetles inhabit only water, whereas true bugs inhabit only land

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs:e4:o1:1
# text = Beetles inhabit only water, whereas true bugs inhabit only land
1	Beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	inhabit	inhabit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	inhabit	inhabit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	only	only	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inhabit** | present | Beetles | water |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **inhabit** | present | true bugs | land |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Beetles possess eight legs, whereas true bugs possess six

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs:e4:o2:1
# text = Beetles possess eight legs, whereas true bugs possess six
1	Beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	eight	eight	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	six	six	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **possess** | present | Beetles | eight legs |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot leg=Theme |
| 2 | **possess** | present | true bugs | six |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot six=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Beetles lack wings, whereas true bugs possess four

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs:e4:o3:1
# text = Beetles lack wings, whereas true bugs possess four
1	Beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	lack	lack	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
5	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lack** | present | Beetles | wings |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **possess** | present | true bugs | four |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot four=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Beetles possess biting jaws, whereas true bugs possess a sucking, straw-like mouth

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:306-beetles-the-biggest-group-of-animals-on-earth-wing-cases-and-six-legs:e4:o4:1
# text = Beetles possess biting jaws, whereas true bugs possess a sucking, straw-like mouth
1	Beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	biting	bite	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	amod	_	_
4	jaws	jaw	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	bugs	bug	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	possess	possess	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
11	sucking	suck	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	straw	straw	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	mouth	mouth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **possess** | present | Beetles | biting jaws |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot jaw=Theme |
| 2 | **bite** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **possess** | present | true bugs | a sucking like mouth |  |  |  |  | vn own-100.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot mouth=Theme |
| 4 | **suck** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn chew-39.2 «NP V»: agent=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.

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