Exam question 3 · Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman and His Wife, part…

What does the sea's changing colour signify in relation to the flounder's compliance with the wishes, as recorded in the passage?

Mova's choice: option 1 · The right answer: option 4 · wrong ✗ · Who acts: changing colour, flounder · What happens: change, signify, record, comply · To what, where: passage

This is exam question 3 of lesson 1937 «Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman and His Wife, part 1: a greedy wife keeps asking the flounder for more» 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	What	what	PRON	PronType=Int	8 signify	obj
2	does	do	AUX	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	8 signify	aux
3	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	4 sea	det
4	sea	sea	NOUN	Number=Sing	7 colour	nmod:poss
5	's	's	PART	_	4 sea	case
6	changing	change	VERB	VerbForm=Ger	7 colour	amod
7	colour	colour	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 signify	nsubj
8	signify	signify	VERB	VerbForm=Inf	root	root
9	in	in	ADP	_	10 relation	case
10	relation	relation	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 signify	obl
11	to	to	ADP	_	15 compliance	case
12	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	13 flounder	det
13	flounder	flounder	NOUN	Number=Sing	15 compliance	nmod:poss
14	's	's	PART	_	13 flounder	case
15	compliance	compliance	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 signify	obl
16	with	with	ADP	_	18 wishes	case
17	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	18 wishes	det
18	wishes	wish	NOUN	Number=Plur	15 compliance	nmod
19	,	,	PUNCT	_	21 recorded	punct
20	as	as	SCONJ	_	21 recorded	mark
21	recorded	record	VERB	Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass	8 signify	parataxis
22	in	in	ADP	_	24 passage	case
23	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	24 passage	det
24	passage	passage	NOUN	Number=Sing	21 recorded	obl
25	?	?	PUNCT	_	8 signify	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	where	other	roles by
1	change	gerund				vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
2	signify	present · do-support	the sea's changing colour		to the flounder's compliance with the wishes; in relation	vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot what=Theme in relation=Attribute
3	record	participle		the passage		vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent in passage=Destination
4	comply		the flounder		with the wishes	nom compliance «act intransitive»: poss=agent with=obl

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

It marks the fisherman's growing fear, as the sea turns grey and the wind rises at each wish.

The tree, 19 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	It	it	PRON	Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs	2 marks	nsubj
2	marks	mark	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
3	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	4 fisherman	det
4	fisherman	fisherman	NOUN	Number=Sing	7 fear	nmod:poss
5	's	's	PART	_	4 fisherman	case
6	growing	grow	VERB	VerbForm=Ger	7 fear	amod
7	fear	fear	NOUN	Number=Sing	2 marks	obj
8	,	,	PUNCT	_	12 turns	punct
9	as	as	SCONJ	_	12 turns	mark
10	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	11 sea	det
11	sea	sea	NOUN	Number=Sing	12 turns	nsubj
12	turns	turn	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	2 marks	parataxis
13	grey	grey	ADJ	Degree=Pos	12 turns	xcomp
14	and	and	CCONJ	_	17 rises	cc
15	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	16 wind	det
16	wind	wind	NOUN	Number=Sing	17 rises	nsubj
17	rises	rise	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	12 turns	conj
18	at	at	ADP	_	20 wish	case
19	each	each	DET	PronType=Tot	20 wish	det
20	wish	wish	NOUN	Number=Sing	17 rises	obl
21	.	.	PUNCT	_	2 marks	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	where	other	roles by
1	mark	present	It	the fisherman's growing fear			vn image_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent fear=Destination
2	grow	gerund					vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme
3	turn	present	the sea			grey property	vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme
4	rise	present	the wind		each wish		vn assuming_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent at wish=Location
5	fear		the fisherman				nom fear «feeling transitive»: poss=agent

Option 2

The changing colour marks the flounder's response, as the sea turns violet, dark-grey and heaving with each request, while the fisherman stands weeping on the cold wet sand and wonders why.

The tree, 33 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	3 colour	det
2	changing	change	VERB	VerbForm=Ger	3 colour	amod
3	colour	colour	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 marks	nsubj
4	marks	mark	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
5	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	6 flounder	det
6	flounder	flounder	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 response	nmod:poss
7	's	's	PART	_	6 flounder	case
8	response	response	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 marks	obj
9	,	,	PUNCT	_	13 turns	punct
10	as	as	SCONJ	_	13 turns	mark
11	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	12 sea	det
12	sea	sea	NOUN	Number=Sing	13 turns	nsubj
13	turns	turn	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	4 marks	parataxis
14	violet	violet	ADJ	Degree=Pos	13 turns	xcomp
15	,	,	PUNCT	_	18 grey	punct
16	dark	dark	ADJ	Degree=Pos	18 grey	amod
17	-	-	PUNCT	_	16 dark	punct
18	grey	grey	ADJ	Degree=Pos	14 violet	parataxis
19	and	and	CCONJ	_	20 heaving	cc
20	heaving	heave	VERB	Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part	18 grey	conj
21	with	with	ADP	_	23 request	case
22	each	each	DET	PronType=Tot	23 request	det
23	request	request	NOUN	Number=Sing	20 heaving	obl
24	,	,	PUNCT	_	28 stands	punct
25	while	while	SCONJ	_	28 stands	mark
26	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	27 fisherman	det
27	fisherman	fisherman	NOUN	Number=Sing	28 stands	nsubj
28	stands	stand	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	13 turns	conj
29	weeping	weep	VERB	VerbForm=Ger	28 stands	xcomp
30	on	on	ADP	_	34 sand	case
31	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	34 sand	det
32	cold	cold	ADJ	Degree=Pos	34 sand	amod
33	wet	wet	ADJ	Degree=Pos	34 sand	amod
34	sand	sand	NOUN	Number=Sing	29 weeping	obl
35	and	and	CCONJ	_	36 wonders	cc
36	wonders	wonder	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	13 turns	conj
37	why	why	ADV	PronType=Int	36 wonders	advmod
38	.	.	PUNCT	_	4 marks	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	where	other	roles by
1	change	gerund					vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
2	mark	present	the changing colour	the flounder's response			vn image_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent response=Destination
3	turn	present	the sea			violet property	vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme
4	heave	gerund	the sea not said here			with each request	vn push-12 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent
5	stand	present	the fisherman				vn admire-31.2 «NP V S_ING»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus
6	weep	gerund	the fisherman not said here		the cold wet sand		vn breathe-40.1.2 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Agent on sand=Destination
7	wonder speech: ask	present	the sea not said here				vn care-88.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer

Option 3

It warns the fisherman that the flounder will soon be angry and wants him to leave the shore.

The tree, 18 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	It	it	PRON	Case=Nom Gender=Neut Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs	2 warns	nsubj
2	warns	warn	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
3	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	4 fisherman	det
4	fisherman	fisherman	NOUN	Number=Sing	2 warns	obj
5	that	that	SCONJ	_	11 angry	mark
6	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	7 flounder	det
7	flounder	flounder	NOUN	Number=Sing	11 angry	nsubj
8	will	will	AUX	VerbForm=Fin	11 angry	aux
9	soon	soon	ADV	Degree=Pos	11 angry	advmod
10	be	be	AUX	VerbForm=Inf	11 angry	cop
11	angry	angry	ADJ	Degree=Pos	2 warns	advcl
12	and	and	CCONJ	_	13 wants	cc
13	wants	want	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	2 warns	conj
14	him	he	PRON	Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs	13 wants	obj
15	to	to	PART	_	16 leave	mark
16	leave	leave	VERB	VerbForm=Inf	13 wants	xcomp
17	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	18 shore	det
18	shore	shore	NOUN	Number=Sing	16 leave	obj
19	.	.	PUNCT	_	2 warns	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	other	roles by
1	warn speech: warn	present	It	the fisherman		vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent fisherman=Recipient
2	is	future	the flounder		angry, soon property	tree rules
3	want	present		him = he		tree rules
4	leave not said to happen	to-infinitive	him = he not said here	the shore		vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent shore=Theme

Option 4 · ✓ the right answer

The changing colour marks the flounder's response, as the sea turns violet, dark-grey and heaving with each request.

The tree, 20 words

The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)

#	word	lemma	UPOS	features	head	relation
1	The	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	3 colour	det
2	changing	change	VERB	VerbForm=Ger	3 colour	amod
3	colour	colour	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 marks	nsubj
4	marks	mark	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	root	root
5	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	6 flounder	det
6	flounder	flounder	NOUN	Number=Sing	8 response	nmod:poss
7	's	's	PART	_	6 flounder	case
8	response	response	NOUN	Number=Sing	4 marks	obj
9	,	,	PUNCT	_	13 turns	punct
10	as	as	SCONJ	_	13 turns	mark
11	the	the	DET	Definite=Def PronType=Art	12 sea	det
12	sea	sea	NOUN	Number=Sing	13 turns	nsubj
13	turns	turn	VERB	Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin	4 marks	conj
14	violet	violet	ADJ	Degree=Pos	13 turns	xcomp
15	,	,	PUNCT	_	18 grey	punct
16	dark	dark	ADJ	Degree=Pos	18 grey	amod
17	-	-	PUNCT	_	16 dark	punct
18	grey	grey	ADJ	Degree=Pos	14 violet	parataxis
19	and	and	CCONJ	_	20 heaving	cc
20	heaving	heave	VERB	Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part	18 grey	conj
21	with	with	ADP	_	23 request	case
22	each	each	DET	PronType=Tot	23 request	det
23	request	request	NOUN	Number=Sing	20 heaving	obl
24	.	.	PUNCT	_	4 marks	punct

#	verb	tense, mood	who	what, whom	other	roles by
1	change	gerund				vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent
2	mark	present	the changing colour	the flounder's response		vn image_impression-25.1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent response=Destination
3	turn	present	the sea		violet property	vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme
4	heave	gerund	the sea not said here		with each request	vn push-12 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent

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.

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