---
title: Ollie's mum says, «We don't know why your fish died, love.» Why is t… — Why living things die, and the circle… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ollie's mum says, «We don't know why your fish died, love.» Why is that an honest answer? Test 11 · ★ of lesson 53 «Why living things die, and the circle of life in nature» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each opt
---

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# Test 11 · ★ · Why living things die, and the circle of life in nature

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ollie's mum says, «We don't know why your fish died, love.» Why is that an honest answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** mum, We, fish · **What happens:** say, not know, die, be · **To what, where:** honest answer · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 11 · ★ of lesson 53 «Why living things die, and the circle of life in nature» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life/#t11).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Ollie's mum says, «We don't know why your fish died, love.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:1
# text = Ollie's mum says, «We don't know why your fish died, love.»
1	Ollie	Ollie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
8	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	ccomp	_	_
11	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
12	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	died	die	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	vocative	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Ollie's mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **know** *in a quote* | present · do-support | We |  |  |  |  | love *vocative* | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **die** *in a quote* | past | your fish |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |

<!-- .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:* Why is that an honest answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:2
# text = Why is that an honest answer?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

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

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Often nobody can know the exact reason a creature dies young

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:o1:1
# text = Often nobody can know the exact reason a creature dies young
1	Often	often	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	exact	exact	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	creature	creature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	dies	die	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl	_	_
11	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | can | nobody | the exact reason |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer reason=Stimulus |
| 2 | **die** | present | a creature | the exact reason *not said here* |  |  |  | young *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Fish deaths are never real deaths, so there is nothing to know

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:o2:1
# text = Fish deaths are never real deaths, so there is nothing to know
1	Fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	deaths	death	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	6	advmod	_	_
5	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	deaths	death	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	10	expl	_	_
10	is	be	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
11	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	10	nsubj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	know	know	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	acl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | Fish deaths | real deaths |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** | present | nothing |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **know** | to-infinitive | nothing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She knows the real reason, but wants to keep it a secret from him

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:o3:1
# text = She knows the real reason, but wants to keep it a secret from him
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	secret	secret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	xcomp	_	_
14	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **know** | present | She | the real reason |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer reason=Stimulus |
| 2 | **want** | present | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **keep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* | reason |  |  |  | from him *= he* | vn forbid-64.4 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Causer it=Beneficiary from he=Eventuality |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She is quite sure it was Ollie's fault, but is too kind to say

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life:t11:o4:1
# text = She is quite sure it was Ollie's fault, but is too kind to say
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	sure	sure	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	Ollie	Ollie	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	fault	fault	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	too	too	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	parataxis	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | She |  |  |  |  | sure *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | past | it | Ollie's fault |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=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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- next →: [Why living things die, and the circle…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life/e1/)
- ↑ back to [Why living things die, and the circle of life in nature](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/53-why-living-things-die-and-the-circle-of-life/)