Reading a dog: tails, play bows, growls and staying safe

Tests: 5 of 12 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 11 of 16 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 194 of the biology 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.

Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: the lesson's questions in the corpora.

Test 1 · ★ · wrong ✗

«look, his tail's going like mad, he's friendly, I'm gonna pet him» but the dog is stiff and staring. What is right?

1. Tails only wag when dogs are happy — ← Mova's choice · score 8
2. A stiff fast wag with a stare is not a friendly sign, leave him — ✓ the right answer · score 3
3. Pet him on the head quickly before he moves — score 8
4. Any wag means friendly, go on, he wants to be stroked right now — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 8, tied with another option at 8 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 194, line 5: «A loose, wide wag with a wiggly bottom is usually friendly, but a stiff, high tail that wags fast while the dog stares can mean the dog is tense and ready to a…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «wag» (+5); the same doer «stiff high tail» (+3). The right option, 2, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

«Bella keeps yawning at the vet, she's just sleepy lol» What is more likely?

1. She stayed up all night — no support
2. She is nervous, and yawning is a calming signal — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Yawning means she is hungry and wants her dinner — no support
4. Dogs yawn only when they are bored, and the vet's is boring — ← Mova's choice · score -1

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score -1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 194, line 7: «A dog that yawns, licks its lips or looks away when the vet comes close is usually not tired but uneasy; these are called calming signals.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «yawn» (+1). Against it: the same doer «dog» (-2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · wrong ✗

«hug him tighter, he loves it» but the dog is turning away and showing the whites of its eyes. What should happen?

1. Kiss him on the nose to say sorry — no support
2. Let go and give the dog space — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Hold his head still so he looks at you — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Hug him tighter so he calms down — no support

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 191, line 4: «To put a myth right, ask what the animal really sees, eats, hears or needs, and look for the true thing hiding inside the story.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «look» (+2); the same circumstance (+2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · right ✓

«that dog growled at my little bro, smack it so it learns» What is right?

1. Yes, then it will never growl again — score 0
2. No, the growl is a warning; keep children away from its food bowl — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
3. No, just give it more food until it is too full to care — no support
4. Yes, smacking stops all bites, because the dog learns who is boss — score 2

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 5, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 194, line 11: «A growl is a warning, not bad behaviour; a dog punished for growling may learn to skip the warning and bite without one.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «growl» (+3); the same thing acted on «warning» (+1); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · right ✓

«a dog's running at us, LEG IT!!» What is the safer thing to do?

1. Run screaming to the gate as fast as you can — no support
2. Stare it down until it stops and turns round — score 2
3. Stand still like a tree and look away — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
4. Throw your shoe at it to scare it away — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 8, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 194, line 12: «If a strange dog runs at you, the safest thing is to stand still like a tree, arms in, looking away, and not run or scream, because running can make it chase.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «look away» (+5); the same property (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · right ✓

In a cartoon a dog is happy every time its tail wags. What is true of real dogs?

1. Wagging always means anger and a bite coming soon — no support
2. Every single wag is happy, just like in the cartoons — score 3
3. Real dogs never wag their tails — score 1
4. A wag can mean happy, tense or unsure, so read the whole dog — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 8, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 50, line 4: «Cartoon animals chat in full sentences and every dog with a wagging tail is happy; real messages are simpler but cleverer, and a stiff, high, fast wag can mean…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «mean» (+5); the same doer «stiff high fast wag» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · right ✓

«ew why's he sniffing that dog's butt, gross» What is the real reason?

1. He is looking for leftovers — no support
2. It is a dog hello, the scent tells who the other dog is — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
3. He wants a fight and is looking for a soft place to bite — no support
4. He thinks it is a cat — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 193, line 2: «A dog lives first in a world of smells, then of sounds; its eyes matter less. It sniffs in short quick bursts that carry smells to a special part of its nose,…», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: the same action «tell» (+3); the same doer «dog» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · wrong ✗

What would happen if you reached straight over the head of a dog you did not know?

1. It might feel threatened and duck, back off or snap — ✓ the right answer · score 0
2. It would always wag and lick — score 0
3. It would fall asleep — ← Mova's choice · score 3
4. It would roll over at once — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 3 with score 3, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 194, line 13: «Always ask the owner before stroking a dog, let it sniff your hand, and stroke its side or chest rather than reaching over its head, because a hand coming down…», reached through what followed the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «come down» (+4). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). The right option, 1, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · wrong ✗

«his fur's all spiky on his back, he's gonna kill us» What is closer to the truth?

1. It always means an attack is coming — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Raised hackles mean he is very worked up, not always angry — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. It means he is cold — no support
4. It means he just had a wash — no support

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

Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗

Count them: three dogs do play bows at once in the park. How many front legs are on the grass?

1. 12 — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. 9 — no support
3. 6 — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. 3 — no support

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

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

Count them: two dogs and one cat are on the sofa. How many tails and how many ears?

1. 2 tails and 6 ears — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. 3 tails and 3 ears — no support
3. 3 tails and 6 ears — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. 3 tails and 12 ears — no support

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

Test 12 · ★ · right ✓

«your dog's well cute, can I stroke him?» What should happen next?

1. Pull its ears gently and tickle under its chin until it rolls over — no support
2. Grab the dog round the neck for a big hug — score 1
3. The owner says yes, the dog sniffs a hand, then a stroke on its side — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
4. Pat it hard on the head several times — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 3 with score 10, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 24, line 17: «Never approach a strange dog or a wild animal, because even friendly-looking ones may bite if scared or protecting food or young; to stroke a dog, ask its owne…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «sniff» (+4); the same doer «dog» (+3); the same thing acted on «hand» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the significance of a wagging tail in the domestic dog?

1. It invariably signifies aggression — no support
2. It invariably signifies contentment — no support
3. It possesses no communicative significance whatsoever — no support
4. Its meaning depends upon the manner of the wag and the posture of the whole animal — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 4 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 194, line 14: «Dogs sniff each other's bottoms to say hello, because special scent glands there tell who the other dog is, a bit like reading an identity card.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same doer «other dog» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

Identify the principal reason for which the punishment of a growling dog is to be avoided.

1. Growling constitutes an expression of gratitude — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The animal may thereby learn to bite without prior warning — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Growling is invariably a symptom of disease of the throat or the teeth — no support
4. Punishment renders the dog incapable of barking — no support

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

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

It is given that an unfamiliar dog approaches a child at speed in a public park. Ascertain the most appropriate course of action.

1. The child should fix the animal with a steady stare — no support
2. The child should remain motionless, arms withdrawn, and avert the gaze — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. The child should shout loudly and wave both arms above the head — no support
4. The child should flee at the greatest possible speed towards the nearest gate — ← Mova's choice · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 155, line 4: «Near the city of Manaus a dark river like tea and a pale river like milky coffee run side by side for kilometres without mixing, because they differ in tempera…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same place «temperature» (+4). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Select the response consistent with the established facts concerning a dog which exhibits the whites of its eyes whilst embraced.

1. The animal is seeking a toy — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The animal is expressing profound affection for the child who holds it — no support
3. The animal is about to fall asleep — no support
4. The animal is uncomfortable and ought to be released — ✓ the right answer · no support

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

This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/biology/194-reading-a-dog-tails-play-bows-growls-and-staying-safe/