Russian Folk-Tales, Marya Morevna, part 21: Ivan is slain and revived, then tricks the Baba Yaga's mares and is helped by the creatures he spared

Tests: 4 of 12 right · Exam: 3 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 11 of 16 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 429 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 · ★ · right ✓

yo did Ivan really get chopped up or nah?

1. yeah, Koshchei chopped him up and chucked the bits in the sea where nobody could ever find them again — score 10
2. yeah, Koshchei chopped him up and chucked him in the sea, then sealed him in a barrel — score 10
3. yeah, Koshchei burned him and scattered ash in the sea — score 6
4. yeah, Koshchei chopped him up and chucked him in the sea — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 4 with score 10, tied with another option at 10 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 429, line 9: «Koshchei chops Ivan into little pieces, puts them in a barrel "smeared" with pitch, and flings it into the blue sea.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «chop» (+5); the same thing acted on «ivan» (+4); the same doer «koshchei» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

wait, so who fished the barrel out of the sea?

1. the Falcon, for real — ← Mova's choice · score 2
2. the Eagle, for real, after the Raven couldn't — no support
3. the Eagle, for real — ✓ the right answer · score 2
4. some fishermen, for real — 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 429, line 2: «Koshchei spares Ivan twice, but the third time he chops him to bits and throws the barrel into the sea.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same place «sea» (+4). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 3, scored 2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · right ✓

ok but what even is the Water of Death?

1. a holy water from the river — score 3
2. a magic water that brings him back to life — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
3. a magic water that brings the dead back to life — score 6
4. a poison that kills him fast — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. 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 429, line 3: «The Eagle drags the barrel ashore, and the Falcon and the Raven fetch waters that make Ivan whole again.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «waters» (+4); the same doer «waters» (+1); a different action (counts against) (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · wrong ✗

bro did Ivan actually eat that lion cub?

1. nope, he let it be because the lioness begged him really hard — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. yeah, he ate it but the lioness begged him to stop after the first bite — no support
3. nope, he kept it as a pet — no support
4. nope, he let it be because the lioness begged — ✓ 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 5 · ★ · right ✓

how did he cross that fire river anyway?

1. he waved Marya's handkerchief three times and got a bridge — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. he rode the horse over it — no support
3. he waved Marya's handkerchief three times on the right hand and got a bridge — no support
4. he waved the handkerchief twice and the fire river parted for him to walk across — 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 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

why did the mares keep running off, though?

1. the flies bit them badly — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. they were scared of the birds and the flies and the boy's loud shouting — no support
3. they were scared of the birds and the flies — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. they were chased by wolves — 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 7 · ★ · wrong ✗

lol the Baba Yaga's house had heads on sticks, right?

1. yeah, eleven heads and one empty stick, all facing the road — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. yeah, twelve skulls on poles — no support
3. yeah, eleven heads on sticks and one empty stick waiting for Ivan's head — no support
4. yeah, eleven heads and one empty stick — ✓ 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 8 · ★ · wrong ✗

so is Ivan getting the steed or nah?

1. yeah, he gets it at the end after the flies and birds help him out — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. not yet, the story keeps going for a while longer — no support
3. yeah, he gets it right away — score 5
4. not yet, the story keeps going — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. 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 429, line 4: «Ivan crosses the fiery river on Marya's handkerchief and goes to the Baba Yaga to earn a heroic steed.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «heroic steed» (+4); the same doer «ivan» (+1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · right ✓

wait, what's an outlandish bird even mean?

1. a strange bird from some faraway place — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
2. a strange bird from some faraway place across the sea — score 6
3. a bird that cannot fly — score 3
4. a strange bird that comes from some faraway place and talks — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 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 388, line 10: «WHY: The birds plucked the jackdaw because they "indignantly protested" his unfair claim to be king.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+2); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same doer «birds» (+1); the same thing acted on «king» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗

did the snuff-box really turn black?

1. nope, it just went a bit grey and that meant Ivan was sleeping — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. yeah, it meant Marya was dead — no support
3. yeah, that meant Ivan was dead — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. nope, that meant Ivan was alive — 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 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

ok so who saved the day in the end, honestly?

1. the Falcon and Raven — no support
2. the Eagle, Falcon, Raven, outlandish bird, and lioness — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Marya, the Raven, and the old horse — ← Mova's choice · score 1
4. the Eagle, Falcon, Owl, and lioness — no support

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 3 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 130, line 19: «Old word: "repented" means felt sorry for doing wrong and wished to change, which is how the sisters feel at the end of the tale.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same place «end» (+4). Against it: the same doer «sisters» (-1); a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 2, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

did Koshchei keep his promise to forgive Ivan?

1. nope, he only forgave him twice and then chopped him up — score 8
2. nope, he only forgave him twice, not the third time when he chopped him up — ← Mova's choice · score 10
3. yeah, he forgave him twice — score 8
4. nope, he only forgave him twice — ✓ the right answer · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 10, against 8 for the next best. Its support: lesson 429, line 9: «Koshchei chops Ivan into little pieces, puts them in a barrel "smeared" with pitch, and flings it into the blue sea.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «chop» (+5); the same thing acted on «ivan» (+4); the same doer «koshchei» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 8. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the fate of Prince Ivan following his third capture by Koshchei the Deathless?

1. He was chopped apart and hidden in a cave — no support
2. He was beheaded and buried by the shore — no support
3. He was dismembered, sealed within a barrel, and cast into the sea — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
4. He was dismembered, sealed within a pitch-smeared barrel, and cast into the deep blue sea beyond the shore — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 3 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 429, line 2: «Koshchei spares Ivan twice, but the third time he chops him to bits and throws the barrel into the sea.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: the same action «throw» (+3); the same place «sea» (+3). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · wrong ✗

Which creature retrieved the Water of Death, the substance by which the scattered remains of Prince Ivan were rejoined?

1. the Owl — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. the Raven — ✓ the right answer · score 6
3. the Falcon — score 6
4. the Kite — score 6

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 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 116, line 5: «The King brings John back by cutting off his sons' heads, then hides everyone from the Queen and tells her the truth. A new tale starts: the sick King's three…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «find» (+5); the same thing acted on «water» (+3). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-2). The right option, 2, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · right ✓

What condition did Prince Ivan fulfil in order to receive the heroic steed from the Baba Yaga?

1. He agreed to guard her mares for a week — no support
2. He undertook to tend her mares for three days — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score -1
3. He undertook to tend her mares for three days and bring back the lion cub safely — score -1
4. He undertook to tend her mares for three days and three nights without rest — score -1

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 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 429, line 17: «Ivan must care for the Baba Yaga's mares for three days in return for "a heroic steed."», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «ivan» (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · right ✓

What was the purpose of the handkerchief presented to Prince Ivan by Marya Morevna?

1. It raised a lofty bridge over the fiery river when waved three times — score 2
2. It lifted a bridge over the water — score 2
3. It raised a lofty bridge over the fiery river and guarded him from the flames — score 2
4. It raised a lofty bridge over the fiery river — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 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 429, line 14: «The handkerchief, waved "thrice on the right hand," makes "a very lofty bridge" over the fire.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); a different doer (counts against) (+2). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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