---
title: In a game, all fireflies flash the same pattern. What is wrong, and… — How animals talk · tree and pragmatics
description: In a game, all fireflies flash the same pattern. What is wrong, and what could a sneaky female do? Test 8 · ★★★ 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 right.
---

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# Test 8 · ★★★ · How animals talk

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In a game, all fireflies flash the same pattern. What is wrong, and what could a sneaky female do?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** fireflies, sneaky female · **What happens:** flash, be, do · **To what, where:** same pattern

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★★★ of lesson 50 «How animals talk» 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/50-how-animals-talk/#t8).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* In a game, all fireflies flash the same pattern.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:1
# text = In a game, all fireflies flash the same pattern.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	fireflies	firefly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	flash	flash	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flash** | present | all fireflies | the same pattern |  |  |  | in a game | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.theme»: agent=Agent pattern=Patient in game=Topic |

<!-- .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 wrong, and what could a sneaky female do?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:2
# text = What is wrong, and what could a sneaky female do?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	obj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	sneaky	sneaky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	female	female	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | could | a sneaky female |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each kind has its own code; some females copy another kind's to eat males

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:o1:1
# text = Each kind has its own code; some females copy another kind's to eat males
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	code	code	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	females	female	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	copy	copy	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	det	_	_
12	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	advcl	_	_
16	males	male	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | each kind | kind's own code |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent code=Patient |
| 2 | **copy** | present | some females | another kind |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent kind=Theme |
| 3 | **eat** | to-infinitive | some females *not said here* | males |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent male=Patient |
| 4 | **code** |  | kind |  |  |  |  |  | nom code «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fireflies make light with tiny fires

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:o2:1
# text = Fireflies make light with tiny fires
1	Fireflies	firefly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	tiny	tiny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	fires	fire	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Fireflies | light |  |  |  | with tiny fires | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset light=Product |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Nothing, they all flash the same

```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:o3:1
# text = Nothing, they all flash the same
1	Nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	flash	flash	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flash** | present | they | the same |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent same=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Females never flash at all, so they sit in the dark and wait for a male to land

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:biology:50-how-animals-talk:t8:o4:1
# text = Females never flash at all, so they sit in the dark and wait for a male to land
1	Females	female	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	flash	flash	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	sit	sit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	male	male	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	land	land	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **flash** | present | Females |  |  | all |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at all=Location |
| 2 | **sit** | present | Females *= female* |  |  | the dark |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in dark=Location |
| 3 | **wait** | infinitive | Females *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for a male | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **land** | to-infinitive | Females *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn pocket-9.10-1 «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.

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