---
title: Identify the reason the prince was unable to speak with his wife upo… — Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the reason the prince was unable to speak with his wife upon his return to the palace. Exam question 3 of lesson 1154 «Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses, part 20: the stepmother drowns the princess and disguises her own daughter as the bride» of the books course of Mova's primary school
---

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# Exam question 3 · Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses, part 20: the stepmo…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the reason the prince was unable to speak with his wife upon his return to the palace.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, prince, his · **What happens:** identify, be, speak, return · **To what, where:** reason · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1154 «Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses, part 20: the stepmother drowns the princess and disguises her own daughter as the bride» 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](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/1154-pg3027-part20/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e3:1
# text = Identify the reason the prince was unable to speak with his wife upon his return to the palace.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	acl:relcl	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	speak	speak	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	xcomp	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	return	return	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	palace	palace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the prince | the reason *not said here* |  |  |  | unable *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **speak** *speech: other* | to-infinitive | the prince *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with his wife upon his return to the palace | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent with wife=Co-Agent |
| 4 | **return** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  | to the palace | nom return «communication intransitive»: poss=agent to=obl |

<!-- .note -->
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 {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She sent the maid to the prince with a note explaining her wound and asked him to wait until morning, when the household had gathered in the hall to celebrate.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e3:o1:1
# text = She sent the maid to the prince with a note explaining her wound and asked him to wait until morning, when the household had gathered in the hall to celebrate.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	maid	maid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
11	explaining	explain	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
12	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	wound	wound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	asked	ask	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
16	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	iobj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
19	until	until	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
22	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	26	mark	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	household	household	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	nsubj:pass	_	_
25	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	26	aux	_	_
26	gathered	gather	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	advcl	_	_
27	in	in	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
30	to	to	PART	TO	_	31	mark	_	_
31	celebrate	celebrate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	26	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** | past | She | the maid | the prince |  |  | with a note | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent maid=Theme to prince=Destination |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | gerund | She *not said here* | maid's wound |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wound=Topic |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past | She *not said here* |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 4 | **wait** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  | morning |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **gather** | past · perfect · passive |  | the household |  | the hall |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 6 | **celebrate** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **wound** |  | maid |  |  |  |  |  | nom wound «state transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She turned away and whispered softly, claiming her throat was sore that night.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e3:o2:1
# text = She turned away and whispered softly, claiming her throat was sore that night.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	away	away	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	whispered	whisper	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	softly	softly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	claiming	claim	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
9	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	throat	throat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	sore	sore	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
13	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	14	det	_	_
14	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn away** | past | She |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  | softly *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **claim** *speech: other* | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | past | her throat |  |  |  | night | sore *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She pointed to her cheek and murmured, feigning a toothache, so that she could not be heard.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e3:o3:1
# text = She pointed to her cheek and murmured, feigning a toothache, so that she could not be heard.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	pointed	point	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	cheek	cheek	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	murmured	murmur	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	feigning	feign	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	toothache	toothache	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
13	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	19	mark	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
16	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
18	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	aux:pass	_	_
19	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **point** | past | She |  | her cheek |  |  |  | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to cheek=Recipient |
| 2 | **murmur** *speech: other* | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **feign** | gerund | She *not said here* | a toothache |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent toothache=Patient |
| 4 | **not** **hear** | could · passive |  | she |  |  |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: subject=Stimulus |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She covered her face and whispered, pretending to be too tired to talk.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e3:o4:1
# text = She covered her face and whispered, pretending to be too tired to talk.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	covered	cover	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	whispered	whisper	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	pretending	pretend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
10	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	cop	_	_
11	too	too	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	ccomp	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | past | She | her face |  |  |  |  | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP.destination»: agent=Agent face=Destination |
| 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* | past | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **pretend** | gerund | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **is** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tired *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **talk** | to-infinitive | She *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**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.

<!-- /div -->

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- ↑ back to [Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses, part 20: the stepmother drowns the princess and disguises her own daughter as the bride](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1154-pg3027-part20/)