Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 2: the picture goes wrong and the whole Tribe comes

Tests: 7 of 18 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 15 of 22 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 85 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 ✗

Leo: «Mum read the picture right, it's giving map vibes, she just overreacted.» (it's giving = it looks like) Put it right.

1. She read it right — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. She read it wrong: she thought Tegumai was speared and enemies were coming — ✓ the right answer · score 5
3. The picture was a map, and Mum got it right about the swamp route — no support
4. She read it right: Taffy meant the beavers were leading the Tribe home safely — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 84, line 20: «Real life: pictures are much older than writing. People painted animals in caves tens of thousands of years ago, but a picture is not yet writing: it does not…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «picture» (+3); the same action «read» (+2). The right option, 2, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

Why is Tegumai's line «the whole dear, kind, nice, clean, quiet Tribe is here» a joke?

1. The Tribe is noisy and armed, and it has just scared away every fish, which Tegumai finds very funny indeed — ← Mova's choice · score 1
2. Pictures are useful but need a drum to explain them — no support
3. Nobody is kind — no support
4. The Tribe is noisy, armed and has just frightened every fish away — ✓ the right answer · score 1

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 1, tied with another option at 1 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 85, line 14: «The Tribe plans to make him lead them to where «he had hidden poor Taffy» before punishing him; the story is a comedy and nobody is really hurt in the end.», reached through the cause of the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «tribe» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 1. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · right ✓

«Platoffs with their Platoons, and Dolmans with their Detachments.» Why does Kipling list such names?

1. For the fun of grand-sounding words, as he says himself — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
2. For the fun of grand-sounding words, which he says himself was the only reason for the list — score 3
3. Because he wanted the reader to understand every single name in the army of the Chief — no support
4. To show that the Tribe has many fighting groups — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 3, tied with another option at 3 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 85, line 15: «Kipling lists the Tribe's chiefs with grand, funny titles borrowed from many lands, «Platoffs with their Platoons, and Dolmans with their Detachments», and say…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «say» (+4). Against it: the same doer «kipling» (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · right ✓

Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the bark.» What did he really do with it?

1. Carried it miles away to a far-off cave and gave it to a stranger who wanted it — score 13
2. Took it home and hid it — score 3
3. Kept it in his pocket for later use — score 2
4. Ran miles to the Cave and politely handed it to Teshumai — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 17

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 4 with score 17, against 13 for the next best. Its support: lesson 85, line 2: «By chance the Stranger-man finds Teshumai at her Cave, having lunch with other Stone Age ladies. He politely hands her the bark. She takes one look, screams, a…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+5); the same property (+4); the same action «hand» (+3); the same receiver «teshumai» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · right ✓

What would have saved all the trouble?

1. Sending someone who could talk their language with the picture — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Staying home at the Cave and sending a message by beaver to explain everything to the Tribe — no support
3. Sending someone who could talk their language, carrying the picture, to explain it to the Tribe — no support
4. Drawing the spear on the inside of the Cave — 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 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

Which is TRUE about the Stranger-man?

1. Although he has been knocked down and sat on, he still never once sees the picture the right way round — ← Mova's choice · score 7
2. He is hurt, but he tells the ladies the truth about the spear — score 6
3. Though scratched and puffed, he still tries to be polite — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Though scratched and puffed up with mud, he still tries to be polite to everyone he meets along the way — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 with score 7, against 6 for the next best. Its support: lesson 84, line 5: «But the Stranger-man reads the picture quite differently. He thinks Tegumai must be a great Chief in danger, with enemies all around, and that the child is ask…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «stranger man» (+4); the same thing acted on «picture» (+3). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

Molly from Dublin: «what's the craic with the mud?» (craic = what's going on) Why did the ladies put mud in his hair?

1. They thought he had hurt Tegumai and Taffy — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. They wanted to hide him from the Chief — no support
3. They thought he had come from enemies to hurt Tegumai and Taffy, so they covered him in mud — ← Mova's choice · score 5
4. They thought he had hurt Tegumai and Taffy with the spear and wanted to punish him for it — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 85, line 3: «Teshumai reads the picture as a horror: Tegumai full of spears, Taffy's hair standing on end in fright, and a pack of people creeping up behind, which are real…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «ladies» (+4); the same circumstance (+1). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · wrong ✗

Real life: which is a picture-sign that works well today?

1. A long written letter explaining the rules of the road to every driver in the town — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. A shop sign for the ice cream van — no support
3. A road sign showing children crossing — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. A tree drawn on a sign — 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 9 · ★ · right ✓

Real life: Sam sends a face-with-tears emoji, and his gran thinks he is sad. What does that show, just like Taffy's picture?

1. A picture can be read in different ways — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9
2. A picture can be read in different ways, so a sender must check the reader understands it — score 9
3. Pictures are always easy to read — no support
4. Sam should use fewer emojis today — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. 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 84, line 20: «Real life: pictures are much older than writing. People painted animals in caves tens of thousands of years ago, but a picture is not yet writing: it does not…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same place «different ways» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same action «read» (+2); the same thing acted on «picture» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · right ✓

Looking back: in part 1, why did the Stranger-man think Taffy was a «very wonderful child»?

1. She touched his magic tooth and did not swell up or burst — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
2. She touched his magic tooth but looked away and ran home — score 6
3. She offered to carry his heavy bag up the hill — score 2
4. She touched his magic tooth, did not swell up or burst, and also drew him a picture of the swamp — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 6, tied with another option at 6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 84, line 15: «The Stranger-man believes his shark's tooth is magic and that anyone who touches it without leave will «swell up or burst»; when Taffy does not, he decides she…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «touch» (+4); the same thing acted on «tooth» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · right ✓

Looking back: who did the Stranger-man think was the great Chief «Man-who-turns-his-back-on-callers»?

1. Tegumai, busy mending his spear — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Teshumai, busy with her lunch — no support
3. Tegumai, who was busy mending his spear by the river while Taffy drew pictures — no support
4. Tegumai, the Head Chief, who was busy mending his broken spear beside the Cave fire — 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 ✗

Looking back: what is the river called, where Tegumai and Taffy fish?

1. Nile — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Po — no support
3. The Amazon — no support
4. The Wagai — ✓ 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 ✗

Looking back: in the Armadillo story, Painted Jaguar got muddled by words; here the Tribe gets muddled by what?

1. A picture — ✓ the right answer · score 0
2. A picture drawn by a child of the Tribe on bark — ← Mova's choice · score 6
3. A song — score 3
4. A drum beat — no support

Why: It took the question to ask a circumstance (with what, when, how). It chose option 2 with score 6, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 19, line 5: «Last joke: no wise fish goes on a journey «without a porpoise». «Don't you mean purpose?» asks Alice. «I mean what I say,» answers the Mock Turtle, offended —…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «alice» (+5); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same circumstance (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 1, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 14 · ★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: what did Taffy draw to show the way through the swamp?

1. The swamp's dark water — score 5
2. The beavers' heads — ✓ the right answer · score 6
3. Reeds — score 5
4. The beavers' heads, drawn in a row to show the route through the swamp — ← Mova's choice · score 13

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 13, against 6 for the next best. Its support: lesson 84, line 17: «Taffy draws lying flat on her tummy with her legs in the air. She draws only the beavers' heads, because she says she can't draw beavers, and she draws Mummy w…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: its «because» matches the remembered cause (+4); the same doer «taffy» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same action «draw» (+2). The right option, 2, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 15 · ★ · right ✓

Charlie from Auckland: «they found Taffy hurt and crying, yeah nah?» (yeah nah = no) What is right?

1. Yes: she was hurt by the beavers — no support
2. No: she was happily making daisy-chains at the river, not crying or hurt at all — score 4
3. No: she was happily making daisy-chains — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
4. No: she was happily playing near the river — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 4, tied with another option at 4 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 85, line 4: «The Stranger-man is thumped, rolled on pebbles and called rude names, but he leads them all back to the river. There they find Taffy making daisy-chains and Te…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «daisy chains» (+3); the same action «make» (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 16 · ★ · wrong ✗

★★★ The ladies sit on the Stranger-man «in a long line of six». With Teshumai pulling his hair, how many women are on or at him?

1. Seven — ✓ the right answer · score 4
2. Nine — score 4
3. Seven women in total, including the one who is pulling his hair — ← Mova's choice · score 7
4. Seven ladies, not counting the drummers outside — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 7, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 85, line 13: «The Neolithic ladies sit on the Stranger-man «in a long line of six», fill his hair with mud and beat «the Reverberating Tribal Drums» (reverberating = booming…», 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 thing acted on «hair» (+3). The right option, 1, scored 4. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 17 · ★ · wrong ✗

★★★ Careful: who in this part understands the picture exactly as Taffy meant it?

1. Nobody — ✓ the right answer · score 0
2. Some — score 0
3. Tegumai — score 0
4. Teshumai — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 4 with score 4, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 85, line 3: «Teshumai reads the picture as a horror: Tegumai full of spears, Taffy's hair standing on end in fright, and a pack of people creeping up behind, which are real…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «picture» (+2); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same doer «teshumai» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). The right option, 1, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 18 · ★ · wrong ✗

★★★ Taffy drew the spear OUTSIDE the Cave though it hangs INSIDE. Why does this make the misunderstanding worse?

1. It shows the spear is lost and far away — no support
2. It looks like a spear being thrown at someone from the Cave, so the ladies think the enemies are coming — ← Mova's choice · score 7
3. It makes the Cave look like a spear-shop for the Tribe — no support
4. It looks like a spear being thrown at someone from the Cave — ✓ the right answer · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 2 with score 7, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 85, line 12: «What Teshumai sees: Tegumai with his arm broken, a spear in his back, a man ready to throw a spear, another throwing a spear from a Cave, and «a whole pack of…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «throw» (+4); the same thing acted on «spear» (+2); a different doer (counts against) (+1). The right option, 4, scored 2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Identify the activity in which Teshumai Tewindrow was engaged upon the arrival of the Stranger-man.

1. Entertaining other Neolithic ladies at lunch — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Entertaining other Neolithic ladies at lunch while the Tribe was busy by the river — no support
3. Entertaining several other Neolithic ladies at a lunch party inside her Cave with the Tribe — no support
4. Sitting in the swamp drawing beavers — 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 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

Ascertain the true nature of the figures interpreted by Teshumai as «a whole pack of people».

1. They were beavers drawn by Taffy to show the route, and the Tribe had wrongly thought they were enemies hiding in the swamp — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. They were beavers that Taffy drew to show the route the Tribe should take — no support
3. They were beavers drawn by Taffy to indicate the route through the swamp — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. They were beavers drawn by Taffy, though Teshumai thought they were enemies coming to fight through the swamp — 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 the Tribe arrived at the river. Select the response most consistent with what was there observed.

1. The Head Chief waiting by the river with the drums ready — no support
2. Taffy making daisy-chains and Tegumai spearing small carp — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Taffy making daisy-chains, Tegumai spearing small carp, and the Head Chief shaking his top-knot — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Enemies hiding in the bushes, watching quietly — 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 85, line 5: «The whole Tribe has come, chiefs and all, armed to the teeth, shouting and frightening every fish for twenty miles. Teshumai hugs Taffy, and the Head Chief gra…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «shake» (+4); the same doer «head chief» (+2). Against it: a different thing acted on (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 ✗

Which of the following statements most accurately characterises the limitation of picture-writing demonstrated in this part?

1. Pictures are always clear — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. A picture does not fix its meaning in words, and may be misunderstood — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Pictures always need a drum to explain their meaning to every listener — no support
4. Pictures can only show big things well — 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

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