---
title: Identify the means by which a cow, lacking upper incisors, severs gr… — Farm animals by numbers: stomachs, hoo… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the means by which a cow, lacking upper incisors, severs grass. Exam question 1 of lesson 350 «Farm animals by numbers: stomachs, hooves, toes, eggs and litres» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's
---

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# Exam question 1 · Farm animals by numbers: stomachs, hooves, toes, eggs and…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the means by which a cow, lacking upper incisors, severs grass.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, the, cow · **What happens:** identify, mean, lack, sever · **To what, where:** upper incisors, grass

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 350 «Farm animals by numbers: stomachs, hooves, toes, eggs and litres» 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/350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres:e1:1
# text = Identify the means by which a cow, lacking upper incisors, severs grass.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	lacking	lack	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	upper	upper	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	incisors	incisor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	severs	sever	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
14	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  | by a cow | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **lack** | gerund | a cow *not said here* | upper incisors |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **sever** | present |  | grass |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grass=Theme |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tongue draws the grass against a hard dental pad, whereupon it is torn

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres:e1:o1:1
# text = The tongue draws the grass against a hard dental pad, whereupon it is torn
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tongue	tongue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	draws	draw	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	against	against	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
9	dental	dental	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	pad	pad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	whereupon	whereupon	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	15	advmod	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	torn	tear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **draw** | present | the tongue | the grass |  |  |  | against a hard dental pad | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grass=Theme |
| 2 | **tear** | present · passive |  | tongue |  |  |  | whereupon *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: subject=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The grass is cut by the hooves prior to consumption

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres:e1:o2:1
# text = The grass is cut by the hooves prior to consumption
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	grass	grass	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	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	hooves	hoove	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	prior	prior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	10	case	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	consumption	consumption	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | present · passive | the hooves prior consumption | the grass |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset subject=Product |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The grass is swallowed whole without being severed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres:e1:o3:1
# text = The grass is swallowed whole without being severed
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	grass	grass	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	swallowed	swallow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	severed	sever	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swallow** | present · passive |  | the grass |  |  |  | whole *property* | vn gobble-39.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **sever** | gerund · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn separate-23.1 «NP V» |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The grass is severed by sharp upper fangs

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:350-farm-animals-by-numbers-stomachs-hooves-toes-eggs-and-litres:e1:o4:1
# text = The grass is severed by sharp upper fangs
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	grass	grass	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	severed	sever	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	sharp	sharp	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	upper	upper	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	fangs	fang	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sever** | present · passive | sharp upper fangs | the grass |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=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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