---
title: Which of the following best describes the outcome of the tug-of-war… — Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and o… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following best describes the outcome of the tug-of-war between the elephant and the whale? Exam question 1 of lesson 1258 «Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey, part 59: the clever tortoise tricks an elephant and a whale into a tug-of-war» of the books course of 
---

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# Exam question 1 · Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monk…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following best describes the outcome of the tug-of-war between the elephant and the whale?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** follow, describe · **To what, where:** outcome

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1258 «Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey, part 59: the clever tortoise tricks an elephant and a whale into a tug-of-war» of the books 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/books/1258-pg3282-part59/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1258-pg3282-part59:e1:1
# text = Which of the following best describes the outcome of the tug-of-war between the elephant and the whale?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	obj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	case	_	_
5	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	nmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	outcome	outcome	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
11	tug	tug	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
16	between	between	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | the outcome of the war between the elephant and the whale |  |  |  | of the best | 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 -->
The whale dragged the elephant away.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1258-pg3282-part59:e1:o1:1
# text = The whale dragged the elephant away.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	dragged	drag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	away	away	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drag away** | past | the whale | the elephant |  |  |  | away *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent elephant=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Each creature assumed the rope had been tied to its own opponent alone.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1258-pg3282-part59:e1:o2:1
# text = Each creature assumed the rope had been tied to its own opponent alone.
1	Each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	creature	creature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	assumed	assume	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	tied	tie	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	opponent	opponent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **assume** | past | each creature |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **tie** | past · perfect · passive |  | the rope |  |  |  | to rope's own opponent | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: subject=Patient to opponent=Co-Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The elephant lost, though he blamed the whale for cheating in the contest.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1258-pg3282-part59:e1:o3:1
# text = The elephant lost, though he blamed the whale for cheating in the contest.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lost	lose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	blamed	blame	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	cheating	cheating	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	contest	contest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | past | the elephant |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **blame** | past | elephant | the whale |  | the contest |  | for cheating | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent whale=Theme for cheating=Attribute |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Neither party perceived that the tortoise was their true opponent.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1258-pg3282-part59:e1:o4:1
# text = Neither party perceived that the tortoise was their true opponent.
1	Neither	neither	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	perceived	perceive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	opponent	opponent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **perceive** | past | neither party |  |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the tortoise | their true opponent |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and o…, test 12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1258-pg3282-part59/t12/)
- next →: [Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and o…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1258-pg3282-part59/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Indian Tales, Tale of a Tortoise and of a Mischievous Monkey, part 59: the clever tortoise tricks an elephant and a whale into a tug-of-war](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1258-pg3282-part59/)