Flock of sheep vs. flock of cows

[Gabi]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", question 5

The flock of ......... stayed together.

(a) sheep
(b) blankets
(c) ships
(d) cows

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #89 "Common Quantity Nouns", answer 5

The flock of sheep stayed together.

Correct answer: (a) sheep

Your answer was: incorrect
The flock of cows stayed together.
_________________________

Why flock of sheep, not cows?

gabi

[Mister Micawber]

.
Collective nouns for animals are notoriously arbitrary, Gabi. We have flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, gaggles of geese, and tintinnabulations of starlings.

Both flock and herd come from earlier words meaning 'group', flock from early German, and herd (presumably) all the way from Indo-European.

Rather odd in this particular instance, since flocks of sheep are supervised by shepherds ('sheep-herders')!
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Sunglasses]

Hello,

That's what i found in Cambridge Advanced Learners' Dictionary:
flock 1
flock (GROUP) /flɒk/ US /flɑːk/
group noun [C]
a group of sheep, goats or birds, or a group of people:
a flock of sheep/goats/geese
The shepherd is bringing his flock down from the hills.
A noisy flock of tourists came into the building.
The vicar invited all the members of his flock (= all the people who go to his church) to attend the special service.

and here what i found in MacMillan English Dictionary - American:
flock 1
flock1 / flɑk / noun *
1 [count] a group of birds, sheep, or goats:
flock of: a flock of sheep
The farmer kept a flock of geese.
1a. a large group of people:
flock of: Flocks of people lined up to see Nelson Mandela.

and finally, what i found in Collin Cobuild Advanced Learners' Dictionary 5th Edition:
flock /fl'ɒk/ (flocks flocking flocked)
1 [N-COUNT-COLL] usu N of n
A flock of birds, sheep, or goats is a group of them.
They kept a small flock of sheep...
They are gregarious birds and feed in flocks.
2 [N-COUNT-COLL] N of n
You can refer to a group of people or things as a flock of them to emphasize that there are a lot of them.
These cases all attracted flocks of famous writers.
...his flock of advisers.

If i have this example:
i saw ....... of sheep , .......of geese and ......... of tourists.
a- a herd
b- a flock
c- gaggles
d- a crowd9
what should i choose ? Or how can i choose as i can use only (a flock) for all?

I'm waiting for the answer.

[Mister Micawber]

You can choose b,c,d appropriately or b for all.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's