Just So Stories (Rudyard Kipling), 4: How the Leopard got his Spots, part 1 (the game goes into the forest)

Tests: 3 of 16 right · Exam: 3 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 12 of 20 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 77 of the books 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 ✗

Noah reckons: "The animals went to the forest cos they liked the shade." Put him right.

1. They were escaping from the Leopard and the hunter — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Baviaan told them to go there and change colour — score 3
3. They had eaten up every bit of grass on the High Veldt — ← Mova's choice · score 7
4. The Djinn of All Deserts sent them away to work — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 7, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 73, line 12: «When the younger animals cried «Toad! Speech! Speech from Toad! Song! Mr. Toad's song!», Toad shook his head, raised one paw in mild protest, and offered them…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «younger animals» (+4); the same thing acted on «toad» (+3). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

Mia, Gen Z: "Leopard on the veldt was highkey invisible, it's giving ninja." ("highkey" = very obviously, "it's giving" = it looks like.) Why was he so hard to see there?

1. He could make himself small like a rock-rabbit at will — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He hid behind Baviaan, who was much bigger than him — no support
3. His colour matched the sand, rocks and grass exactly — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. He only ever came out to hunt in the middle of night — 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 3 · ★ · wrong ✗

What would have happened if the Giraffe and the Zebra had stayed on the bare High Veldt?

1. Baviaan would have hidden them under his arms — no support
2. They would have stayed easy to find and catch — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. The Leopard would have gone to the forest alone — no support
4. They would have turned spotty and stripy anyway — ← Mova's choice · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 4 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 77, line 12: «There "the Giraffe grew blotchy, and the Zebra grew stripy, and the Eland and the Koodoo grew darker, with little wavy grey lines on their backs like bark on a…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «grow» (+1); the same doer «giraffe» (+1). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · wrong ✗

True or false: the Leopard and the hunter could not find the animals in the forest because they had forgotten their smell.

1. False: they could see them clearly but could not catch them — ← Mova's choice · score 7
2. False: they could smell and hear them, but not see them — ✓ the right answer · score 7
3. True: they had been away so long they forgot their smell — no support
4. True: the forest smelt too strongly of the dark trees — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 7, tied with another option at 7 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 77, line 4: «Back on the empty veldt the hungry Leopard and the hunter eat rats and beetles, get a terrible tummy-ache, and ask the wise Baboon, Baviaan, where all the anim…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «hungry leopard» (+4); the same thing acted on «rats» (+3). The right option, 2, scored 7. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · wrong ✗

Baviaan says "go into other spots". What is the double meaning?

1. Other forests, and spots of mud — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. Other places, and spots on your skin — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Other games, and spots on dice — no support
4. Other animals, and little spots of rain — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 6, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 77, line 17: «The forest is "speckled and sprottled and spottled, dotted and splashed and slashed and hatched and cross-hatched with shadows"; Kipling says "Say that quickly…», reached through what was said in the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same thing acted on «forest» (+2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

Grandad, Northern Ireland: "Yon baboon's a cute one, so he is, winkin' away." ("yon" = that, "cute" here = sly, clever.) What did Baviaan's wink show?

1. He had something in his eye from the dusty veldt — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He was falling asleep in the very hot afternoon — no support
3. He knew the answer but would not say it plainly — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. He was making fun of the Leopard's sandy colour — 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 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

Freddie says: "Giraffes got patches from standing under trees, my book says so." Put him right.

1. Giraffes paint patches on each other with their tongues — no support
2. Yes, all giraffes are born plain and turn patchy in the shade — ← Mova's choice · score 6
3. Giraffes get their patches from the mud they roll in — no support
4. That is only Kipling's story; real patterns come from parents — ✓ the right answer · 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 77, line 12: «There "the Giraffe grew blotchy, and the Zebra grew stripy, and the Eland and the Koodoo grew darker, with little wavy grey lines on their backs like bark on a…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «giraffe» (+4); the same action «grow» (+2). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · wrong ✗

In the Camel story the animals held "a palaver" about the idle Camel. In this story, who is asked for advice?

1. The Man — score 3
2. Baviaan the Baboon — ✓ the right answer · score 3
3. The 'Stute Fish — score 3
4. The Djinn of All Deserts — ← Mova's choice · score 7

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 7, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 75, line 11: «A "Djinn" (genie) is a magic spirit from Arabian stories; this one travels "rolling in a cloud of dust", and calls the Camel "My long and bubbling friend" and…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same place «arabian stories» (+4); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same thing acted on «magic spirit» (+1). The right option, 2, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · right ✓

Lola, Australia: "The Leopard and that bloke were starvin', reckon they'd eat a servo pie." ("servo" = petrol station.) What did they really eat?

1. Every fish in the whole sea — score 4
2. Rats, beetles and rock-rabbits — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9
3. Thorns and milkweed — score 4
4. A cake as big as a table — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score 9, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 77, line 4: «Back on the empty veldt the hungry Leopard and the hunter eat rats and beetles, get a terrible tummy-ache, and ask the wise Baboon, Baviaan, where all the anim…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same doer «hungry leopard» (+2); the same thing acted on «rats» (+2); the same action «eat» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · right ✓

In the Camel story the animals had to change because they were lazy or greedy. In this story, why do the Giraffe and Zebra change?

1. Because they stole a cake from a Parsee — no support
2. Because they asked too many questions — no support
3. To hide from the animals that hunted them — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
4. Because they were idle and would not work — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 7, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 77, line 14: «"Baviaan" (an Afrikaans word for baboon) is "the dog-headed, barking Baboon, who is Quite the Wisest Animal in All South Africa"; real baboons do have long dog…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «baboon» (+4); the same thing acted on «wisest animal» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

Which earlier helper in the book is most like Baviaan, a clever creature who gives a tricky answer?

1. The Rhino, who came down to the beach with few manners — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The Horse, who went and told the Man about the Camel — no support
3. The Ox, who came with the yoke on his neck to plough — no support
4. The 'Stute Fish, who sent the Whale to find a man — ✓ 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

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

Kayden, Gen Alpha: "Leopard said he remembers the zebra's height cos of the marrow-bones, that's sus." ("sus" = suspicious, odd.) Why does he remember them so well?

1. He measured them for fun — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. They were his best friends — no support
3. Baviaan had told him all — no support
4. He used to hunt and eat them — ✓ 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

Test 13 · ★ · wrong ✗

Old Texas rancher: "Them critters skedaddled to the woods, and that big cat was plumb out of luck." ("skedaddled" = ran off, "plumb" = totally.) Which animal led them?

1. The striped Zebra — ← Mova's choice · score 9
2. The big Eland — no support
3. The Koodoo with wavy lines — no support
4. The Giraffe — ✓ the right answer · score 9

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 9, tied with another option at 9 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 77, line 13: «The Leopard and the hunter grew so hungry that they "ate rats and beetles and rock-rabbits" and "had the Big Tummy-ache, both together".», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same doer «giraffe» (+3); a different thing acted on (counts against) (+2). The right option, 4, scored 9. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 14 · ★ · wrong ✗

★★★ The Leopard says Giraffe is "about seventeen feet high" and Zebra "about four and a half feet high". How much taller is Giraffe?

1. Thirteen and a half feet — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Twenty-one and a half feet — no support
3. Twelve and a half feet — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Eleven and a half feet — 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 15 · ★ · wrong ✗

★★★ Trap: the story says the animals could "very seldom" be seen in the forest. Which is true?

1. They could be seen sometimes, if you knew precisely where to look — ✓ the right answer · score 2
2. They could be seen easily, but only at night — score 2
3. They could never be seen at all, not even by daylight — score 3
4. They could only be seen by Baviaan the Baboon — ← Mova's choice · score 7

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 7, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 77, line 14: «"Baviaan" (an Afrikaans word for baboon) is "the dog-headed, barking Baboon, who is Quite the Wisest Animal in All South Africa"; real baboons do have long dog…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «baboon» (+4); the same thing acted on «wisest animal» (+3). The right option, 1, scored 2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 16 · ★ · right ✓

★★★ "Say that quickly aloud": "speckled and sprottled and spottled, dotted and splashed and slashed and hatched and cross-hatched". How many of these shadow words are there?

1. Eight — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Six — no support
3. Nine — no support
4. Seven — 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 1 · formal language · right ✓

Identify the animal which, according to the narrative, initiated the departure from the High Veldt, together with the reason stated.

1. The Eland, his fear being the strongest — no support
2. The Zebra, his speed being the greatest — no support
3. The Giraffe, his legs being the longest — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
4. The Leopard, his hunger being the sharpest — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 3, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 77, line 11: «"Bit by bit--the Giraffe began it, because his legs were the longest--they went away from the High Veldt" to a forest full of "stripy, speckly, patchy-blatchy…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «legs» (+2); the same property (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓

Ascertain the meaning of the expression "the aboriginal Fauna" as employed by the hunter in his enquiry.

1. The animals native to that region — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. The rocks and minerals native to that region — no support
3. The flowering plants native to that region — no support
4. The people formerly native to that region — 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 · right ✓

Select the response that most accurately characterises the condition of the Leopard and the hunter subsequent to their diet of rats, beetles and rock-rabbits.

1. They suffered the Big Tummy-ache together — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. They were restored to vigour and strength — no support
3. They were rendered entirely invisible — no support
4. They acquired spots and stripes forthwith — 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 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

State, in accordance with established biology, the manner in which the patterns of animals' coats are acquired.

1. By inheritance from the parents, shaped over many generations — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. By the deliberate painting of the coat with mud and charcoal — no support
3. By the consumption of plants bearing spotted or striped leaves — no support
4. By prolonged standing in the shadows cast by forest trees — ← Mova's choice · score 6

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 77, line 20: «Real biology: animals do not change colour by standing in shadows; their patterns are passed down from parents, and over a very long time the ones whose colour…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «stand» (+4); the same place «shadows» (+2). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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