Exam question 4 · Lang's Fairy Books, The Stones of Plouhinec, part 1: a beg…

Which of the following is the correct sequence of events in this passage?

Mova's choice: option 1 · The right answer: option 3 · wrong ✗ · What happens: follow, be

This is exam question 4 of lesson 1316 «Lang's Fairy Books, The Stones of Plouhinec, part 1: a beggar comes to the Christmas supper» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. The page gives the question's syntax tree — a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies — and its pragmatics clause by clause, then the 4 options as the student saw them, each with its tree and pragmatics. Every text is parsed by Mova itself. How the student answered it, with the score of every option and why: the test at school.

The question

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	Which	which	PRON	PronType=Rel	8 sequence	nsubj
2	of	of	ADP	_	8 sequence	case
3	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	8 sequence	det
4	following	follow	VERB	Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part	8 sequence	case
5	is	be	AUX	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	8 sequence	cop
6	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	8 sequence	det
7	correct	correct	ADJ	Degree=Pos	8 sequence	amod
8	sequence	sequence	NOUN	Number=Sing	root	root
9	of	of	ADP	_	10 events	case
10	events	event	NOUN	Number=Plur	8 sequence	nmod
11	in	in	ADP	_	13 passage	case
12	this	this	DET	Number=Sing PronType=Dem	13 passage	det
13	passage	passage	NOUN	Number=Sing	10 events	nmod
14	?	?	PUNCT	_	8 sequence	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	follow	gerund							vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme
2	is	present						of the correct sequence; of events in this passage	tree rules

One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

The options

Option 1 · ← Mova's choice

The soldier describes the moor, then the stones, then the children interrupt him, then the beggar speaks

The tree, 17 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	2 soldier	det
2	soldier	soldier	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 describes	nsubj
3	describes	describe	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
4	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	5 moor	det
5	moor	moor	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 describes	obj
6	,	,	PUNCT	_	9 stones	punct
7	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	9 stones	advmod
8	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	9 stones	det
9	stones	stone	NOUN	Number=Plur	3 describes	obl
10	,	,	PUNCT	_	14 interrupt	punct
11	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	14 interrupt	advmod
12	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	13 children	det
13	children	child	NOUN	Number=Plur	14 interrupt	nsubj
14	interrupt	interrupt	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 describes	advcl
15	him	he	PRON	Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs	14 interrupt	obj
16	,	,	PUNCT	_	20 speaks	punct
17	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	20 speaks	advmod
18	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	19 beggar	det
19	beggar	beggar	NOUN	Number=Sing	20 speaks	nsubj
20	speaks	speak	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 describes	parataxis

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	when	other	roles by
1	describe	present	the soldier	the moor		the stones obl	vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S_ING»: agent=Agent moor=Theme
2	interrupt	present	the children	soldier	then		tree rules
3	speak speech: other	present	the beggar		then		vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent

Option 2

The children ask questions, then the tale ends

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	2 children	det
2	children	child	NOUN	Number=Plur	3 ask	nsubj
3	ask	ask	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
4	questions	question	NOUN	Number=Plur	3 ask	obj
5	,	,	PUNCT	_	9 ends	punct
6	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	9 ends	advmod
7	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	8 tale	det
8	tale	tale	NOUN	Number=Sing	9 ends	nsubj
9	ends	end	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 ask	conj

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	to whom	where	when	other	roles by
1	ask speech: ask	present	the children	questions					vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent question=Recipient
2	end	present	the tale				then		vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality

Option 3 · ✓ the right answer

The soldier begins his tale, then describes the moor, then introduces Marzinne and Rozennik, then the beggar enters

The tree, 18 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	2 soldier	det
2	soldier	soldier	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 begins	nsubj
3	begins	begin	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
4	his	his	PRON	Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs	5 tale	nmod:poss
5	tale	tale	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 begins	obj
6	,	,	PUNCT	_	8 describes	punct
7	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	8 describes	advmod
8	describes	describe	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 begins	parataxis
9	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	10 moor	det
10	moor	moor	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 describes	obj
11	,	,	PUNCT	_	13 introduces	punct
12	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	13 introduces	advmod
13	introduces	introduce	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 begins	conj
14	Marzinne	Marzinne	PROPN	Number=Sing	13 introduces	obj
15	and	and	CCONJ	_	16 Rozennik	cc
16	Rozennik	Rozennik	PROPN	Number=Sing	14 Marzinne	conj
17	,	,	PUNCT	_	21 enters	punct
18	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	21 enters	advmod
19	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	20 beggar	det
20	beggar	beggar	NOUN	Number=Sing	21 enters	nsubj
21	enters	enter	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 begins	conj

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	when	roles by
1	begin	present	the soldier	soldier's tale		vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tale=Eventuality
2	describe	present		the moor	then	vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S_ING»: agent=Agent moor=Theme
3	introduce	present	the soldier not said here	Marzinne and Rozennik	then	vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent marzinne=Patient
4	enter	present	the beggar		then	vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme
5	tell		soldier			nom tale «communication intransitive»: poss=agent

Option 4

The soldier introduces the stones, then describes the farm, then the beggar enters, then the guests eat soup

The tree, 18 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	2 soldier	det
2	soldier	soldier	NOUN	Number=Sing	3 introduces	nsubj
3	introduces	introduce	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
4	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	5 stones	det
5	stones	stone	NOUN	Number=Plur	3 introduces	obj
6	,	,	PUNCT	_	8 describes	punct
7	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	8 describes	advmod
8	describes	describe	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 introduces	parataxis
9	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	10 farm	det
10	farm	farm	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 describes	obj
11	,	,	PUNCT	_	15 enters	punct
12	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	15 enters	advmod
13	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	14 beggar	det
14	beggar	beggar	NOUN	Number=Sing	15 enters	nsubj
15	enters	enter	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 introduces	conj
16	,	,	PUNCT	_	20 eat	punct
17	then	then	ADV	PronType=Dem	20 eat	advmod
18	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	19 guests	det
19	guests	guest	NOUN	Number=Plur	20 eat	nsubj
20	eat	eat	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Plur Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	3 introduces	parataxis
21	soup	soup	NOUN	Number=Sing	20 eat	obj

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	when	roles by
1	introduce	present	the soldier	the stones		vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent stone=Patient
2	describe	present		the farm	then	vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S_ING»: agent=Agent farm=Theme
3	enter	present	the beggar		then	vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V»: agent=Theme
4	eat	present	the guests	soup	then	vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent soup=Patient

Text: the tests of Mova's primary school, written for Mova (world/data/school/), as the course runner gave them to the student. Trees: Mova's own parse — the en model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. Frames: Mova's frames reader (prag), each text read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1316-pg3454-part41/e4/