---
title: the ants used to be people? that's mad, what did they do — Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, a… · tree and pragmatics
description: the ants used to be people? that's mad, what did they do Test 7 · ★ of lesson 150 «Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the qu
---

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# Test 7 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 2…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the ants used to be people? that's mad, what did they do

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** ants, that · **What happens:** use, be, do · **To what, where:** people

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★ of lesson 150 «Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field» of the books 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/books/150-pg11339-part20/#t7).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t7:1
# text = the ants used to be people? that's mad, what did they do
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
6	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	mad	mad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
12	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	conj	_	_
13	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | the ants |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | to-infinitive | the ants *not said here* | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | that |  |  |  |  | mad *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **do** | past · do-support | ants *= ant* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
they nicked other people's crops and stored them, so jupiter turned them into ants

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t7:o1:1
# text = they nicked other people's crops and stored them, so jupiter turned them into ants
1	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	nicked	nick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	stored	store	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	jupiter	jupiter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	into	into	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nick** | past | they | other people's crops |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crop=Patient |
| 2 | **store** | past | they *not said here* | crops *= crop* |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 3 | **turn** | past | jupiter | crops *= crop* |  | ants |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent they=Theme into ant=Trajectory |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
they stole from farmers and hid the grain, so he changed them

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t7:o2:1
# text = they stole from farmers and hid the grain, so he changed them
1	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stole	steal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	farmers	farmer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	grain	grain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | past | they |  |  |  |  | from farmers | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **hide** | past | they *not said here* | the grain |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent grain=Patient |
| 3 | **change** | past | he | farmers *= farmer* |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
they took food from the poor and kept it, so jupiter turned them into ants

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t7:o3:1
# text = they took food from the poor and kept it, so jupiter turned them into ants
1	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	poor	poor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	jupiter	jupiter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	into	into	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | they | food |  | the poor |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent food=Theme from poor=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **keep** | past | they *not said here* | food |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 3 | **turn** | past | jupiter | them *= they* |  | ants |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent they=Theme into ant=Trajectory |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
they nicked the crops of the neighbours and hid them, so jupiter made them into ants

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t7:o4:1
# text = they nicked the crops of the neighbours and hid them, so jupiter made them into ants
1	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	nicked	nick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	crops	crop	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	neighbours	neighbour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	jupiter	jupiter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	into	into	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **nick** | past | they | the crops of the neighbours |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crop=Patient |
| 2 | **hide** | past | they *not said here* | crops *= crop* |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | past | jupiter | crops *= crop* |  | ants |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP.material PP.product»: agent=Agent they=Material into ant=Product |

<!-- 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 -->

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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, a…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/150-pg11339-part20/t6/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, a…, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/150-pg11339-part20/t8/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/150-pg11339-part20/)