---
title: yo, did the gnat literally ask the bull if he should bounce, or was… — Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull,… · tree and pragmatics
description: yo, did the gnat literally ask the bull if he should bounce, or was that a joke? Test 1 · ★ of lesson 403 «Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull, part 24: a gnat, a camel, dogs, a jackdaw and a workman each get a short lesson» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree an
---

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# Test 1 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull, part 24: a gnat, a…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
yo, did the gnat literally ask the bull if he should bounce, or was that a joke?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** bull · **What happens:** do, ask, bounce, be · **To what, where:** gnat, bull, joke

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 1 · ★ of lesson 403 «Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull, part 24: a gnat, a camel, dogs, a jackdaw and a workman each get a short lesson» 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/403-pg21-part24/#t1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:403-pg21-part24:t1:1
# text = yo, did the gnat literally ask the bull if he should bounce, or was that a joke?
1	yo	yo	INTJ	UH	_	3	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	advcl	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	gnat	gnat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	literally	literally	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	ask	ask	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	bounce	bounce	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
16	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
17	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past |  | the gnat |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent gnat=Eventuality |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present |  |  | the bull |  |  | literally *property* | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent bull=Recipient |
| 3 | **bounce** *a condition, not said to happen* | should | bull |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is a** | past | bull *not said here* | a joke |  |  |  |  | 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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
he asked if the bull wanted him gone

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:403-pg21-part24:t1:o1:1
# text = he asked if the bull wanted him gone
1	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	gone	go	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **want** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | the bull | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **go** *not said to happen* | participle | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
it was a joke, since the gnat never speaks to bulls and only buzzes in the grass all day long

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:403-pg21-part24:t1:o2:1
# text = it was a joke, since the gnat never speaks to bulls and only buzzes in the grass all day long
1	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	gnat	gnat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	bulls	bull	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	only	only	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	buzzes	buzz	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	conj	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	20	det	_	_
20	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl:unmarked	_	_
21	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | it | a joke |  |  |  | long *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **speak** *speech: other* | present | the gnat |  |  |  |  | to bulls | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to bull=Co-Agent |
| 3 | **buzz** | present | the gnat *not said here* |  |  | the grass | day |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in grass=Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
he asked if the bull would dance

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:403-pg21-part24:t1:o3:1
# text = he asked if the bull would dance
1	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	dance	dance	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **dance** *a condition, not said to happen* | would | the bull |  |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
he really asked whether the bull wanted him to leave, because the gnat was being polite

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:403-pg21-part24:t1:o4:1
# text = he really asked whether the bull wanted him to leave, because the gnat was being polite
1	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	really	really	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bull	bull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
12	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	gnat	gnat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
16	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	17	cop	_	_
17	polite	polite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **want** | past | the bull | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **leave** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | him *= he* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | past | the gnat |  |  |  |  | polite *property* | tree rules |

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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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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Eagle and the Fox:…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/402-pg21-part23/e4/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull,…, test 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/403-pg21-part24/t2/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Gnat and the Bull, part 24: a gnat, a camel, dogs, a jackdaw and a workman each get a short lesson](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/403-pg21-part24/)