---
title: Identify the principal reason for which vervet monkeys employ distin… — How animals talk · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the principal reason for which vervet monkeys employ distinct alarm calls for different predators. Exam question 2 of lesson 50 «How animals talk» of the biology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was ri
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/50-how-animals-talk/e2/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Biology](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/) / [How animals talk](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/50-how-animals-talk/) / e2

# Exam question 2 · How animals talk

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the principal reason for which vervet monkeys employ distinct alarm calls for different predators.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, vervet monkeys · **What happens:** identify, employ · **To what, where:** principal reason, distinct alarm calls

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 50 «How animals talk» 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/50-how-animals-talk/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:e2:1
# text = Identify the principal reason for which vervet monkeys employ distinct alarm calls for different predators.
1	Identify	identify	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	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	obl	_	_
7	vervet	vervet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	monkeys	monkey	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	employ	employ	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
10	distinct	distinct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
11	alarm	alarm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
13	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **employ** | present | vervet monkeys | distinct alarm calls |  |  |  | for the principal reason; for different predators | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: agent=Agent call=Theme for which=Eventuality |

<!-- .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 -->
Each call is directed at a different group of monkeys

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:e2:o1:1
# text = Each call is directed at a different group of monkeys
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	call	call	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	directed	direct	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	monkeys	monkey	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **direct** | present · passive |  | each call |  | a different group of monkeys |  |  | vn supervision-95.2.2-1 «NP V NP.theme PP.predicate»: subject=Theme at group=Eventuality |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each predator attacks in a different manner, requiring a distinct escape

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:e2:o2:1
# text = Each predator attacks in a different manner, requiring a distinct escape
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	predator	predator	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	attacks	attack	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	requiring	require	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	distinct	distinct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	escape	escape	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attack** | present | each predator |  |  | a different manner |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **require** | gerund | each predator *not said here* | a distinct escape |  |  |  |  | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme escape=Precondition |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The calls serve to identify the individual making them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:e2:o3:1
# text = The calls serve to identify the individual making them
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	serve	serve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	identify	identify	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	individual	individual	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **serve** | present | the calls |  |  |  |  |  | vn masquerade-29.6-2 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **identify** | to-infinitive | the calls *not said here* | the individual |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent individual=Theme |
| 3 | **make** | gerund | the individual *not said here* | calls *= call* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset they=Product |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The predators are thereby informed that they have been observed and should withdraw

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:e2:o4:1
# text = The predators are thereby informed that they have been observed and should withdraw
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	predators	predator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
4	thereby	thereby	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	informed	inform	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	ccomp	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	withdraw	withdraw	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **inform** *speech: other* | present · passive |  | the predators |  |  |  | thereby *property* | vn tell-37.2 «NP V NP.recipient S»: subject=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **observe** | present · perfect · passive |  | predators *= predator* |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |
| 3 | **withdraw** | should |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [How animals talk, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/50-how-animals-talk/e1/)
- next →: [How animals talk, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/50-how-animals-talk/e3/)
- ↑ back to [How animals talk](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/biology/50-how-animals-talk/)