---
title: What is the principal reason the muskrat's greeting is significant i… — Old Indian Legends, Iktomi and the Duc… · tree and pragmatics
description: What is the principal reason the muskrat's greeting is significant in the final passage of this part? Exam question 4 of lesson 1265 «Old Indian Legends, Iktomi and the Ducks, the tree, the wolves and the blanket» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics 
---

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# Exam question 4 · Old Indian Legends, Iktomi and the Ducks, the tree, the wo…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What is the principal reason the muskrat's greeting is significant in the final passage of this part?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** muskrat, part · **What happens:** be, greet, pass · **To what, where:** final passage

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 1265 «Old Indian Legends, Iktomi and the Ducks, the tree, the wolves and the blanket» 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/1265-pg338-part2/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1265-pg338-part2:e4:1
# text = What is the principal reason the muskrat's greeting is significant in the final passage of this part?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	11	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	muskrat	muskrat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	greeting	greeting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
11	significant	significant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	passage	passage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	18	det	_	_
18	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  | the final passage of this part |  | significant *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **greet** |  | the muskrat |  |  |  |  |  | nom greeting «communication transitive»: poss=agent |
| 3 | **pass** |  | this part |  |  |  |  |  | nom passage «act intransitive»: of=agent |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It signals the customary hospitality that Iktomi fails to observe

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1265-pg338-part2:e4:o1:1
# text = It signals the customary hospitality that Iktomi fails to observe
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	signals	signal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	customary	customary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	hospitality	hospitality	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
7	Iktomi	Iktomi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	fails	fail	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	observe	observe	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | present | the customary hospitality |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **not** **observe** | to-infinitive | the customary hospitality *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It reveals the muskrat wants to fight Iktomi for food

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1265-pg338-part2:e4:o2:1
# text = It reveals the muskrat wants to fight Iktomi for food
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	reveals	reveal	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	muskrat	muskrat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	fight	fight	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	Iktomi	Iktomi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reveal** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **want** | present | the muskrat |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **fight** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the muskrat *not said here* | Iktomi |  |  |  | for food | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent iktomi=Co-Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It shows that the muskrat has come to warn Iktomi about the wolves who are waiting nearby for him

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1265-pg338-part2:e4:o3:1
# text = It shows that the muskrat has come to warn Iktomi about the wolves who are waiting nearby for him
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	muskrat	muskrat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	come	come	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	warn	warn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
10	Iktomi	Iktomi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
11	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	wolves	wolf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
14	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
15	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
16	waiting	wait	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
17	nearby	nearby	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	for	for	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** | present · perfect | the muskrat |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **warn** *speech: warn* | to-infinitive | the muskrat *not said here* |  | Iktomi |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent iktomi=Recipient |
| 4 | **wait** | present · progressive | the wolves |  |  |  |  | for muskrat; nearby *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It highlights that the muskrat is the true hero who will later punish Iktomi for his greed and bad manners

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1265-pg338-part2:e4:o4:1
# text = It highlights that the muskrat is the true hero who will later punish Iktomi for his greed and bad manners
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	highlights	highlight	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	muskrat	muskrat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	hero	hero	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
11	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	13	advmod	_	_
13	punish	punish	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl:relcl	_	_
14	Iktomi	Iktomi	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
15	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
17	greed	greed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
19	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	17	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **highlight** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn braid-41.2.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the muskrat | the true hero |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **punish** | future | the true hero | Iktomi |  |  |  | for muskrat's greed and bad manners; late *property* | vn prosecute-33.2-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent iktomi=Patient for greed=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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