---
title: When a small pet dies: fish, hamsters and budgies — how Mova does on the tests · Religion ethics
description: Lesson 55 of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school: 5 of 11 tests right, exam 1 of 4, every question with the options, the student's choice, the right answer and why it chose.
---

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# When a small pet dies: fish, hamsters and budgies

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**Tests:** 5 of 11 right · **Exam:** 1 of 4 right · **Kind:** plain · **Understood:** 8 of 15 · **Run:** 2026-10-18, commit `f3c23ea72`

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Lesson 55 of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, as Mova's small model took its tests: it had read this lesson and the ones before it and learned from their exercises. Each test shows the options in the order the student saw them, its choice, the right answer, the score of every option and why it chose. The lesson itself, sentence by sentence with trees and pragmatics: [the lesson in the corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/).

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Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: [the lesson's questions in the corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/).

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### Test 1 · wrong ✗ {#t1}

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Ollie's little sister whispers, «Captain's just having a nap, innit?» What is the kind, true answer?

- **1.** Yes, wait until lunch and he'll swim — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** No, Captain has died; his body has stopped and he won't wake — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **3.** No, he is pretending to annoy us — no support
- **4.** Yes, fish nap like that every morning — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t1/)

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### Test 2 · right ✓ {#t2}

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A Gen Z teen says, «Flushing your fish is lowkey disrespectful, no cap.» Is there a good reason not to flush?

- **1.** Flushing makes the toilet go bad — no support
- **2.** Fish come back up the pipes if flushed — no support
- **3.** It can spread illness to wild fish, and burial feels kinder — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 8
- **4.** It is against the law to flush a fish in every single country in the world — score 6

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 8, against 6 for the next best. Its support: lesson 55, line 9: «Flushing a dead fish can spread illness to wild fish, and many families prefer to bury a pet in the garden.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «spread» (+5); the same circumstance (+3); the same thing acted on «illness» (+1). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t2/)

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### Test 3 · wrong ✗ {#t3}

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Leo's mate from Wales says, «Aw, I'm tamping your brother said that, come 'ere, cwtch.» («Tamping» means «furious»; «cwtch» means «cuddle».) What is the mate doing?

- **1.** Telling Leo off for crying — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** Asking Leo if he can have his budgie's old cage now — no support
- **3.** Agreeing it's just a bird — no support
- **4.** Comforting Leo and agreeing his grief is real — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t3/)

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### Test 4 · right ✓ {#t4}

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What would happen if Ava kept believing she killed her fish when she did not?

- **1.** She would carry guilt that does not belong to her — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** Nothing at all, because feeling guilty never hurts anyone — no support
- **3.** She would become a much better swimmer than before — no support
- **4.** The fish would slowly come back to life in its bowl — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t4/)

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### Test 5 · right ✓ {#t5}

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Lily's uncle in Cork says, «Ah, Thumper's gone to a better place, pet, grand so.» («Grand» means «fine, all right».) What should Lily understand?

- **1.** Thumper is living with a better family — no support
- **2.** Thumper has gone on holiday to Cork — no support
- **3.** Thumper will be back home when the weather is grand again — no support
- **4.** Thumper has died; the words are a gentle way to say it — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 6

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 55, line 12: ««Gone to a better place» and «gone to sleep» are soft ways of saying «died»; clear words help children most.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «soft ways» (+2); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t5/)

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### Test 6 · wrong ✗ {#t6}

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Kai shouts, «Dad, Shelly the tortoise is dead, she won't move!» It is January. What should Kai do first?

- **1.** Ask an adult or vet to check; she may be hibernating — **✓ the right answer** · score 2
- **2.** Throw cold water on her to see — score 5
- **3.** Put her in a hot oven to wake her — **← Mova's choice** · score 7
- **4.** Bury her in the garden straight away before going to school — no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 3 with score 7, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 53, line 2: «Dead is not asleep: a sleeping cat still breathes and will wake up, but a dead bee on the windowsill will never move again, however gently Jayden pokes it.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same action «wake up» (+3). The right option, 1, scored 2. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t6/)

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### Test 7 · right ✓ {#t7}

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A girl in Zara's class says, «Your neighbour is well sus, she killed them on purpose.» («Sus» means «suspicious».) What is fair?

- **1.** We don't know; the insects may have been ill, so ask calmly — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **2.** Stick insects can't die, so the neighbour must have hidden them — no support
- **3.** Right, the neighbour must be punished — no support
- **4.** Right, neighbours always kill pets — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t7/)

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### Test 8 · wrong ✗ {#t8}

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A cartoon shows a dead goldfish with halo and harp in a «fish heaven» pond. What is the truthful note?

- **1.** This is exactly what happens to every fish — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** Fish heaven is in the Bible — no support
- **3.** Nobody knows for sure what happens to animals; beliefs differ — **✓ the right answer** · no support
- **4.** Fish turn into angels after one week — no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t8/)

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### Test 9 · wrong ✗ {#t9}

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Sam's teacher, formally: «Those who wish to pray for Peanut may do so; everyone else may keep a moment of quiet.» Why is this fair?

- **1.** It makes all the non-praying children leave the room — **← Mova's choice** · score 10
- **2.** It forces every single child in the class to pray — no support
- **3.** It forbids anyone at all to pray at school — no support
- **4.** It lets each child share in their own way — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 10, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 43, line 15: «When captains always pick the same children last, fairer ways include numbering off, drawing names, or a teacher making the teams.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same action «make» (+3); the same doer «teacher» (+3). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t9/)

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### Test 10 · right ✓ {#t10}

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A Boston kid says, «It's wicked sad Nibbles died, did Chloe kill him?» («Wicked» means «very».) What is the honest answer?

- **1.** Yes, hamsters only ever die if they are left alone in the house — no support
- **2.** No, the hamster is still alive in the bedding — no support
- **3.** No, he was old for a hamster and died peacefully at home — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 4
- **4.** Yes, by going to school that day — no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 55, line 8: «Hamsters live about two or three years, so a hamster of two and a half is old; old hamsters often die quietly in their sleep.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same property (+3); the same circumstance (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t10/)

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### Test 11 · wrong ✗ {#t11}

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«My nan says only people go to heaven, my mate says his dog will be there,» says Harry. Which is the best view?

- **1.** Nan is right and his mate is lying — no support
- **2.** Heaven is only for dogs and other pets, not for people at all — **← Mova's choice** · score 10
- **3.** Christians differ about animals, and nobody knows for sure — **✓ the right answer** · score 7
- **4.** His mate is right and Nan is lying — no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 10, against 7 for the next best. Its support: lesson 55, line 5: «Nobody on earth knows for sure what happens to animals after they die: some Christians believe God will make all creation new, others say heaven is for people,…», reached through what was said in the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «heaven» (+4); the same circumstance (+4); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+2). The right option, 3, scored 7. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/t11/)

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### Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e1}

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Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the condition of a domestic fish discovered floating motionless at the surface of its tank?

- **1.** It is engaged in a period of ordinary sleep — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** It is feigning death in order to obtain food — no support
- **3.** It is hibernating and will resume activity in spring — no support
- **4.** It has died, and its bodily functions have ceased permanently — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/e1/)

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### Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e2}

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Identify the principal distinction between hibernation and death in a tortoise.

- **1.** In hibernation the heart ceases to beat entirely — **← Mova's choice** · score 5
- **2.** Hibernation is permanent whereas death is temporary — no support
- **3.** There exists no distinction whatsoever between them — no support
- **4.** In hibernation respiration and heartbeat continue at a reduced rate — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 55, line 13: «Hibernation is a deep winter rest that tortoises, hedgehogs and some other animals take: the animal still breathes slowly and its heart still beats; a vet can…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «heart» (+3); the same action «beat» (+2). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/e2/)

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### Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓ {#e3}

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Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning religious belief as to the fate of animals after death.

- **1.** Beliefs differ, and no person possesses certain knowledge thereof — **← Mova's choice** · **✓ the right answer** · score 8
- **2.** All religions teach that animals ascend to heaven — score 5
- **3.** All religions teach that animals cease to exist — no support
- **4.** It has been scientifically demonstrated that all animals are reborn — score 5

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**Why:** It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 8, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 22, line 20: «Many Christians believe God will judge everyone fairly and with mercy; beliefs about hell differ widely and are disputed.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «differ» (+5); the same doer «beliefs» (+3). · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/e3/)

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### Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗ {#e4}

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Ascertain the meaning of the expression «gone to a better place» as employed in respect of a deceased pet.

- **1.** That the animal has escaped — **← Mova's choice** · no support
- **2.** That the animal has been rehomed — no support
- **3.** That the animal has been sold — no support
- **4.** That the animal has died — **✓ the right answer** · no support

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**Why:** No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · [the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/55-when-a-small-pet-dies-fish-hamsters-and-budgies/e4/)

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- ← previous: [54. Life is precious: wonder and gratitude](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/religion-ethics/54-life-is-precious-wonder-and-gratitude/)
- next →: [56. The old dog, the vet and the hardest goodbye](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/religion-ethics/56-the-old-dog-the-vet-and-the-hardest-goodbye/)
- ↑ back to [Religion ethics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/religion-ethics/)