Italian Popular Tales, Master Joseph the Shoemaker, part 28: the robbers buy the donkey and the guitar and are fooled again

Tests: 4 of 13 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 14 of 17 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 1639 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.

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 ✗

Bro, did Joseph really buy a donkey with two of his four gold pieces?

1. Yeah, two of them, then he rode home to Catania — ✓ the right answer · score 5
2. Nope, he bought it with all four — ← Mova's choice · score 6
3. Yeah, but he rode it all the way home — score 4
4. Nah, he paid with three gold coins — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 6, against 5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1639, line 1: «Joseph buys a donkey with two of his four gold pieces and rides home through a wood.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «buy» (+2); the same doer «joseph» (+2); the same thing acted on «donkey» (+2). The right option, 1, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · right ✓

Wait, how did the florins even fall out?

1. The donkey rolled over in the mud — no support
2. The donkey gave itself a shake — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 1
3. The donkey shook — no support
4. Someone bumped the old bag open — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 2 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 1236, line 8: «What: the princess answers, "You have given your word, my father, and you cannot break it."», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «give» (+1); the same thing acted on «word» (+1). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · wrong ✗

No cap, why did the robbers buy the donkey for fifty gold pieces?

1. They thought the donkey was golden — no support
2. They thought it was a golden donkey — ✓ the right answer · score -3
3. They thought it was a golden donkey that made coins from its mane — ← Mova's choice · score 1
4. They believed the donkey made gold coins — score 1

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 3 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 1639, line 9: «The donkey shakes out five florins, which are old gold coins once used in Italy and Europe.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «donkey» (+2); the same thing acted on «five florins» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 2, scored -3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · right ✓

Lowkey genius move, what did the captain do with his men's turns?

1. He kept the donkey for his own first turn and told them nothing at all about it — score 3
2. He took the donkey first and said nothing — score 3
3. He kept the donkey first and told his men nothing about the coins — score 3
4. He kept the donkey first and told them nothing — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 4 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 1629, line 10: «The tree is told to rejoice in its youth, but "it took no notice", because it wants something grander to come.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same action «tell» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · wrong ✗

So sus, what did the captain do to his wife?

1. He hit her on the head — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. He stabbed her — score 3
3. He pushed her down the stairs — score 1
4. He stabbed her in the neck — ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 1 with score 5, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1302, line 11: «The captain orders the robbers to "slay the other four who pretended to kill him last night," so the killing goes on.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «captain» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same action «slay» (+1). Against it: a different thing acted on (counts against) (-1). The right option, 4, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · right ✓

Okay but how did the wife come back to life?

1. The guitar played and she got up — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
2. The dog licked her face awake — no support
3. The guitar played a tune and then she got up and danced — score 4
4. Joseph kissed her and she woke — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 1 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 1359, line 6: «Who: the old bamboo-cutter and his wife, who had raised the Princess, and the moon-chief, who came for her. The old man says, "I have brought up this Princess…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «wife» (+3); the same action «raise» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

Bruh, why did Joseph not sell the guitar?

1. He thought it was broken and useless — no support
2. He said that playing it again would kill his wife for good — no support
3. He wanted to keep it — ← Mova's choice · score 2
4. He said the wife would die for good — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 3 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 1639, line 7: «He keeps four gold pieces in his purse and spends two of them on a "good strong donkey".», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «joseph» (+2); the same action «keep» (+1). Against it: a different thing acted on (counts against) (-1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · wrong ✗

Real talk, what did the robbers want to do to Joseph?

1. Take all his money and then punish him for his cunning deceit — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Punish him severely for his cunning and his clever tricks — no support
3. Take back all the money — no support
4. Punish him for his cunning — ✓ 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 9 · ★ · right ✓

Be honest, where did Joseph hide when they came back?

1. Behind a large barrel near the cellar door — score 8
2. Behind a barrel — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 8
3. In the cellar — score 4
4. Upstairs — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask where. It chose option 2 with score 8, tied with another option at 8 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1639, line 5: «The robbers come back for their money, and Joseph hides behind a barrel while his wife sends the dog after him.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same place «barrel» (+2); the same action «hide» (+1); the same doer «joseph» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗

Dude, what did the wife send the dog to do?

1. Go to the vineyard and call Joseph back to the house — score -6
2. Bring back the stolen money — ← Mova's choice · score -3
3. Call Joseph from the vineyard — ✓ the right answer · score -6
4. Run to the vineyard and bark loudly to fetch Joseph home — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score -3, against -6 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1290, line 1: «The king wins his sword, pokes the Gruagach's mole with it, then finds his servants tied up and his wife and horses stolen by a giant.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. Against it: the same action «steal» (-3). The right option, 3, scored -6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

Wait, so how did the robbers feel about the trick?

1. Very angry and eager to get revenge on Joseph at once — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. Fed up and ready for revenge — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Impressed and wanting to learn — score 4
4. Amused — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 1 with score 6, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1639, line 17: «"Reproaches" means harsh blame, which is what the robbers shower on Joseph.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «robbers» (+3); the same place «joseph» (+3). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

Ngl, what was the captain's wife cooking that night?

1. Lasagne — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Macaroni — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Macaroni with cheese and a little bit of butter — no support
4. Spaghetti and macaroni served with sauce and bread — 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 ✗

Right, what did the robbers swear to do at the end?

1. Catch Joseph and hang him — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Get revenge on Joseph — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Get their revenge on Joseph by ruining his whole family — no support
4. Get revenge on Joseph and his wife for the trick — 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 · wrong ✗

Which of the following best describes the sum for which the robbers purchased the donkey from the shoemaker?

1. Five hundred florins — score -7
2. Forty gold coins — ← Mova's choice · score 6
3. Fifty gold pieces — ✓ the right answer · score 6
4. Ten florins — score -7

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 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 895, line 12: «Old word: "ineffable" means so great that it cannot be described in words.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «describe» (+4); one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (+2); it fills the role the question asks for (+1). Against it: the same thing acted on «word» (-1). The right option, 3, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

With reference to the passage, state the instruction given by the shoemaker regarding the custody of the animal among the robbers.

1. Each robber must keep it for a night and a day in turn — ✓ the right answer · score 3
2. Each robber must feed it every single morning — score 3
3. Each robber must keep it for a whole night and a day in turn, without any rest at all — score 3
4. Each robber must keep the donkey for a night and a day in turn, then return it to the captain — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1639, line 2: «Robbers stop him, so he hides five florins in the donkey's mane, and they take the rest of his money.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «robbers» (+2); the same thing acted on «donkey» (+2). The right option, 1, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

Identify the means by which the shoemaker's wife was made to appear deceased upon the second occasion.

1. A bladder of blood tied about her neck, then stabbed with a knife by her husband — no support
2. A bladder of blood tied about her neck and stabbed — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. A bladder of red liquid tied about her neck and then stabbed by Joseph in the kitchen — no support
4. She was struck on the head quietly — ← Mova's choice · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 4, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 891, line 15: «Why: the Viking's wife is moved because she "had listened to the wonderful story" about Christ and His love.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «move» (+2); the same thing acted on «wife» (+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 · right ✓

Specify the manner by which the shoemaker's wife conveyed the message to the dog on the final occasion.

1. She tied a note to the dog — score 4
2. She called the dog from the window — score 4
3. She called the dog — score 4
4. She opened the door and let the dog out — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 5, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1100, line 3: «At home his wife refuses to open the door, so the henchmen beat her until she promises to obey.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «open» (+2); the same doer «wife» (+2); the same thing acted on «door» (+2). Against it: one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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