---
title: Why does a U-shaped valley tell a geologist that a glacier was once… — Glaciers and ice ages · tree and pragmatics
description: Why does a U-shaped valley tell a geologist that a glacier was once there? Test 8 · ★★ of lesson 54 «Glaciers and ice ages» of the geography course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova's choice was right.
---

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# Test 8 · ★★ · Glaciers and ice ages

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why does a U-shaped valley tell a geologist that a glacier was once there?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** shaped valley, glacier · **What happens:** shape, tell, be · **To what, where:** geologist · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★★ of lesson 54 «Glaciers and ice ages» of the geography 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/geography/54-glaciers-and-ice-ages/#t8).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:54-glaciers-and-ice-ages:t8:1
# text = Why does a U-shaped valley tell a geologist that a glacier was once there?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	valley	valley	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	geologist	geologist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	glacier	glacier	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	16	advmod	_	_
16	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shape** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | a shaped valley | a geologist |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent geologist=Recipient |
| 3 | **is** | past | a glacier |  |  |  |  | once, there *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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Glaciers carve wide, flat-floored valleys; rivers carve V-shapes

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:54-glaciers-and-ice-ages:t8:o1:1
# text = Glaciers carve wide, flat-floored valleys; rivers carve V-shapes
1	Glaciers	glacier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	carve	carve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	wide	wide	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	floored	floor	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	amod	_	_
8	valleys	valley	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
10	rivers	river	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
11	carve	carve	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	V	v	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carve** | present | Glaciers | wide floored valleys |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent valley=Theme |
| 2 | **floor** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **carve** | present | rivers | V shapes |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shape=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rivers always make U-shapes, so a U shows an old river was there

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:54-glaciers-and-ice-ages:t8:o2:1
# text = Rivers always make U-shapes, so a U shows an old river was there
1	Rivers	river	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	3	advmod	_	_
3	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	shapes	shape	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
12	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
16	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	14	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present | Rivers | U shapes |  |  |  | always *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset shape=Product |
| 2 | **show** | present | a U | a old river |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent river=Recipient |
| 3 | **is** | past | a old river *not said here* |  |  |  |  | there *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
U-shaped valleys appear after earthquakes

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:54-glaciers-and-ice-ages:t8:o3:1
# text = U-shaped valleys appear after earthquakes
1	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	valleys	valley	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	appear	appear	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	earthquakes	earthquake	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shape** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **appear** | present | shaped valleys |  |  |  | after earthquakes |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
U-shaped valleys are made only by wind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:54-glaciers-and-ice-ages:t8:o4:1
# text = U-shaped valleys are made only by wind
1	U	U	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	shaped	shape	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	valleys	valley	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shape** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **make** | present · passive |  | shaped valleys |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP NP»: subject=Beneficiary wind=Product |

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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.

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