---
title: Compare: the Elephant's Child's trunk and the Kangaroo's legs were b… — Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 6:… · tree and pragmatics
description: Compare: the Elephant's Child's trunk and the Kangaroo's legs were both made by pulling or running. Which is true? Test 7 · ★★ of lesson 81 «Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 6: The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics 
---

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# Test 7 · ★★ · Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 6: The Sing-Song of Old…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Compare: the Elephant's Child's trunk and the Kangaroo's legs were both made by pulling or running. Which is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** compare, make, pull, run, be · **To what, where:** trunk, legs

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 7 · ★★ of lesson 81 «Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 6: The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo» 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/81-justso-old-man-kangaroo/#t7).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Compare: the Elephant's Child's trunk and the Kangaroo's legs were both made by pulling or running.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:1
# text = Compare: the Elephant's Child's trunk and the Kangaroo's legs were both made by pulling or running.
1	Compare	compare	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Elephant	Elephant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	Child	Child	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Kangaroo	Kangaroo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	's	PART	POS	_	11	case	_	_
13	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
15	both	both	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
17	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
18	pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	16	advcl	_	_
19	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
20	running	run	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | imperative | you *not said here* | the Elephant's trunk |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent trunk=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | past · passive |  | the Kangaroo's legs |  |  |  | both *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 3 | **pull** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn slide-11.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **run** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Which is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:2
# text = Which is true?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both were stretched by a hard struggle, and both turned out useful

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:o1:1
# text = Both were stretched by a hard struggle, and both turned out useful
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	stretched	stretch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	hard	hard	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	struggle	struggle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	nsubj	_	_
11	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
12	out	out	ADP	RP	_	11	compound:prt	_	_
13	useful	useful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stretch** | past · passive | a hard struggle | Both |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **turn out** | past | both |  |  |  |  | useful *property* | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The trunk was stretched by a crocodile, the legs were cut by a stone

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:o2:1
# text = The trunk was stretched by a crocodile, the legs were cut by a stone
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	stretched	stretch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	crocodile	crocodile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	cut	cut	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stretch** | past · passive | a crocodile | the trunk |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **cut** | past · passive | a stone | the legs |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset subject=Product |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both came from pulling and running, but the Kangaroo's legs were never useful for anything except sitting still in the sun

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:o3:1
# text = Both came from pulling and running, but the Kangaroo's legs were never useful for anything except sitting still in the sun
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
4	pulling	pull	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	running	run	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Kangaroo	Kangaroo	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	legs	leg	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nsubj	_	_
13	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
15	useful	useful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	anything	anything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	15	obl	_	_
18	except	except	ADP	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
19	sitting	sit	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	17	acl	_	_
20	still	still	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | past | Both |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **pull** | gerund | Both *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn slide-11.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **run** | gerund | Both *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **not** **is** | past | the Kangaroo's legs |  |  |  |  | for anything; useful *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **sit** | gerund |  |  |  | the sun | still |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent in sun=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Both were stretched by the same crocodile's bite while the animals struggled hard together, and both helped them survive later

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:81-justso-old-man-kangaroo:t7:o4:1
# text = Both were stretched by the same crocodile's bite while the animals struggled hard together, and both helped them survive later
1	Both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	stretched	stretch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	crocodile	crocodile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	bite	bite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	struggled	struggle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
14	hard	hard	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	13	advmod	_	_
15	together	together	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
18	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	19	nsubj	_	_
19	helped	help	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
20	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	survive	survive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	xcomp	_	_
22	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	21	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stretch** | past · passive | the same crocodile's bite | Both |  |  |  |  | vn bend-45.2 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **struggle** | participle · passive |  | the animals |  |  |  | hard, together *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **help** | past | both | animals *= animal* |  |  |  |  | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent they=Beneficiary clause=Theme |
| 4 | **survive** | infinitive | animals *= animal* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | late *property* | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **bite** |  | the same crocodile |  |  |  |  |  | nom bite «state transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- 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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