Fairy Tales, The Snuff-Box, part 33: a poor youth loses his magic box and goes looking for it across the sky

Tests: 4 of 15 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 14 of 19 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 1896 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 ✗

yo, what lang does the snuff box talk in, bruv?

1. Greek, innit — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. German, innit — no support
3. French, innit — no support
4. Spanish, innit — ✓ 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 2 · ★ · right ✓

so what did the young man ask for first, mate?

1. a hat full of gold — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
2. a fancy carriage with four horses and a driver — no support
3. a whole castle built of gold, mate — no support
4. a horse and cart — no support

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 3, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 1896, line 8: «The youth first asks for "My hat full of gold," and "immediately it was full."», reached through what was said in the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same property (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+1). Against it: the same doer «hat» (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · right ✓

what were the castle laths made of, like proper?

1. gold — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. iron — no support
3. tin — no support
4. silver — 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 4 · ★ · wrong ✗

how did the King react when he woke up, was he well shocked?

1. he was struck dumb — ✓ the right answer · score 4
2. he just fell straight back to sleep again — score 4
3. he was well angry — ← Mova's choice · score 5
4. he was dead chuffed — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. It chose option 3 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 1854, line 14: «Why: the king is angry about the theft and "caused proclamation" to be made throughout the city.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «king» (+3); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+2); it fills the role the question asks for (+1). Against it: the same property (-1). The right option, 1, scored 4. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · right ✓

why was the Queen well jel, mate?

1. of the lady and her maid — no support
2. of the young man and her daughter — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 2
3. of the cook and her new maid — no support
4. of the young man's wealth and her daughter's beauty — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 2 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 1875, line 15: «"Maids of honour" were young women who served a queen in her household, a role similar to a lady-in-waiting today.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same property (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

how'd the Queen get the snuff box, like?

1. she tricked a maid — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. she bought a guard — score 4
3. she bribed a servant — ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. she begged him — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what something is like. 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 100, line 3: «The jealous stepmother and her one-eyed daughter trick the Queen into a bath and lay the daughter in her bed.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «jealous stepmother» (+3); the same action «trick» (+1); the same thing acted on «queen» (+1). The right option, 3, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

where did she want to be sent, lowkey?

1. over the far hills — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. down the old road — score 5
3. over the Red Sea — ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. back home — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask where. 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 1811, line 2: «The ogre's wife wants revenge, so Halfman lowers a rope, tells her to tie it tight, and lets her drop, so she breaks her neck.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «want» (+3); the same doer «wife» (+2). The right option, 3, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · right ✓

who got left behind, innit?

1. the daughter and her husband — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 2
2. everyone in the castle except the Queen and her maid — score 2
3. the daughter, her husband and every guard in the place — score 2
4. the Queen and her old maid — score 2

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 2, tied with another option at 2 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1293, line 3: «The youngest prince tricks the basket with a stone, so it crashes down and he is left behind in the castle.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «leave behind» (+3). Against it: the same property (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · wrong ✗

who did he go to for help first, bro?

1. the old wise woman up the mountain — ← Mova's choice · score 0
2. the Wind's mum who lives beyond the sea — no support
3. the Moon — ✓ the right answer · score -2
4. the stars — score -2

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 0, against -2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1727, line 12: «Why the witch fails: she sees "there was no help to be got from her old servants" and turns back.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same property (+1). Against it: the same circumstance (-1). The right option, 3, scored -2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗

what did the Moon reckon she smelt?

1. the sweet smell of a Christian man's flesh — no support
2. fresh bread and wine — no support
3. mortal flesh and blood — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. old tallow and smoke — ← Mova's choice · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 2, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 903, line 3: «Next he tells of an old maid who dies; her coffin rides off in a van that bolts when a hare startles the young horses.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «moon» (+2); the same property (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

who did the Moon send him to, fam?

1. Moon — score -5
2. Wind — ← Mova's choice · score -4
3. the Moon — score -5
4. the Sun — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score -4, against -5 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1895, line 11: «How does the ship get home? "Other winds sent by the Fairy swelled the sails," so the voyage is quick.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. Against it: the same action «send» (-2); the same thing acted on «other winds» (-2). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

what was the Wind's mum busy doing, like?

1. washing clothes by the river — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. sweeping floors with a broom — no support
3. pouring wine for all the guests at the feast — no support
4. filling barrels with water — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 13 · ★ · wrong ✗

where did the Wind's mum stash him?

1. inside the kitchen oven — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. inside a huge barrel full of cold water — no support
3. under the staircase — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. in the cellar — 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 14 · ★ · wrong ✗

what did the Wind's son eat, mate?

1. all the food he saw — score 0
2. the barrels — ← Mova's choice · score 3
3. whatever came near him — score -2
4. everything he saw — ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 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 663, line 12: «Lucky Luck's mother asks the prince to dig and eat with her son, and to speak only when Luck speaks, so the prince keeps quiet like a true seeker.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «mother» (+2); the same action «eat» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 15 · ★ · wrong ✗

what did the poor young man lose, bruv?

1. his castle — ← Mova's choice · score -1
2. his new home and all his wealth in the land — no support
3. his palace — ✓ the right answer · score -1
4. his palace of gold and diamond — score -1

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. 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 1889, line 4: «King Bayard, a spaniel who has lost his power of speech, tells how a jealous Fairy cursed him and all his people to be dogs.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. Against it: the same thing acted on «king» (-1). The right option, 3, scored -1. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which language did the snuff-box employ when addressing the youth?

1. The language of the Moon's own court — score -4
2. Spanish — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 2
3. Greek — score -4
4. Portuguese, as used at the royal court across the sea — score -4

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score 2, against -4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1896, line 7: «What: the snuff-box says "What do you want?" to the young man, and it speaks in the Spanish language.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «box» (+2); the same property (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

What material did the young man's palace possess in its laths?

1. Silver — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Gold — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Tin — no support
4. Iron — 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 ✗

To which celestial body did the young man first apply for counsel?

1. The stars — no support
2. Wind — ← Mova's choice · score -1
3. The Moon — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. The sea — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score -1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 1865, line 19: «Old word: "bribed" means secretly paid to do something wrong, and "thwarted" means stopped from getting your way, and both words are still used today.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. Against it: the same thing acted on «old word» (-1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Through whom did the Sun convey the young man's appeal to the Wind?

1. The Sun's son — ← Mova's choice · score 0
2. The Moon — score 0
3. The Moon, who sent him on the long journey — score -11
4. His own mother — ✓ the right answer · score 0

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 0, tied with another option at 0 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1847, line 5: «The prince's father is alarmed, the prince invites everyone to a feast, fetches his mother, and says, "I am your son."», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: a different doer (counts against) (+1). Against it: the same thing acted on «son» (-1). The right option, 4, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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