---
title: True or false: the Python-Rock-Snake was only ever nasty to the Elep… — Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5:… · tree and pragmatics
description: True or false: the Python-Rock-Snake was only ever nasty to the Elephant's Child. Test 5 · ★★ of lesson 80 «Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5: The Elephant's Child, part 2 (the tug-of-war and the trunk)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the 
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/80-justso-elephants-child-2/t5/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Books](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/) / [Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5:…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/80-justso-elephants-child-2/) / t5

# Test 5 · ★★ · Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5: The Elephant's Child…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
True or false: the Python-Rock-Snake was only ever nasty to the Elephant's Child.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Python Rock Snake · **What happens:** be

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★ of lesson 80 «Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5: The Elephant's Child, part 2 (the tug-of-war and the trunk)» 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/80-justso-elephants-child-2/#t5).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:80-justso-elephants-child-2:t5:1
# text = True or false: the Python-Rock-Snake was only ever nasty to the Elephant's Child.
1	True	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	false	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
6	Python	python	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	Rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	Snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
12	only	only	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	14	advmod	_	_
14	nasty	nasty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	Elephant	Elephant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	's	PART	POS	_	17	case	_	_
19	Child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the Python Rock Snake |  |  |  | ever | to the Elephant's Child; nasty *property* | 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
False: he spanked him once and then saved him, but he also taught the Elephant's Child to swim in the Limpopo river all summer

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:80-justso-elephants-child-2:t5:o1:1
# text = False: he spanked him once and then saved him, but he also taught the Elephant's Child to swim in the Limpopo river all summer
1	False	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spanked	spank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
9	saved	save	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	also	also	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	Elephant	Elephant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	19	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	's	's	PART	POS	_	17	case	_	_
19	Child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
20	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	mark	_	_
21	swim	swim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	ccomp	_	_
22	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
24	Limpopo	Limpopo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	25	compound	_	_
25	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
26	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	27	det	_	_
27	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spank** | past | he | him *= he* |  |  | summer | once *property* | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 2 | **save** | past | he *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  | then |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |
| 3 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | he |  | the Elephant's Child |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent child=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 4 | **swim** | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the Limpopo river |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in river=Trajectory |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
False: he spanked him once but then saved him and taught him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:80-justso-elephants-child-2:t5:o2:1
# text = False: he spanked him once but then saved him and taught him
1	False	false	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spanked	spank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	4	advmod	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
9	saved	save	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
13	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spank** | past | he | him *= he* |  |  |  | once *property* | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 2 | **save** | past | he *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  | then |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |
| 3 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | he *not said here* |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
True: the Python spanked him many times and never once showed any kindness or taught him anything useful at all

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:80-justso-elephants-child-2:t5:o3:1
# text = True: the Python spanked him many times and never once showed any kindness or taught him anything useful at all
1	True	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Python	Python	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	spanked	spank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	times	time	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
11	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	12	advmod	_	_
12	showed	show	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
13	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
17	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	_
18	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	16	obj	_	_
19	useful	useful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
20	at	at	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	19	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spank** | past | the Python | him *= he* |  |  | time |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **show** | past | the Python *not said here* | any kindness |  |  |  | once *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent kindness=Recipient |
| 3 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | the Python *not said here* | anything | Python |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent he=Recipient anything=Topic |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
True: he spanked him again and again and never helped him at all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:80-justso-elephants-child-2:t5:o4:1
# text = True: he spanked him again and again and never helped him at all
1	True	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spanked	spank	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	again	again	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	again	again	ADV	RB	_	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
12	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spank** | past | he | him *= he* |  |  | again |  | vn spank-18.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **help** | past | he *not said here* |  | him *= he* | all |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Beneficiary |

<!-- 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: [Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5:…, test 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/80-justso-elephants-child-2/t4/)
- next →: [Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5:…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/80-justso-elephants-child-2/t6/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 5: The Elephant's Child, part 2 (the tug-of-war and the trunk)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/80-justso-elephants-child-2/)