---
title: Account for the stepmother's conduct toward the princess at the shor… — Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Account for the stepmother's conduct toward the princess at the shoreline, with reference to her earlier motives. Exam question 4 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 Mov
---

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# Exam question 4 · Crimson Fairy Book, The Singing Roses, part 20: the stepmo…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Account for the stepmother's conduct toward the princess at the shoreline, with reference to her earlier motives.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** stepmother · **What happens:** conduct

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e4:1
# text = Account for the stepmother's conduct toward the princess at the shoreline, with reference to her earlier motives.
1	Account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	stepmother	stepmother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	toward	toward	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	shoreline	shoreline	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	reference	reference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
16	to	to	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
17	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
18	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	19	amod	_	_
19	motives	motive	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **conduct** |  | the stepmother |  |  |  |  | toward the princess at the shoreline | nom conduct «act transitive»: poss=agent toward=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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Motivated by envy and revenge, she lured the princess out onto the great grey rock above the sea, where she pushed her from the edge into the deep water below so that she could steal her place at the palace and never be discovered.

<!-- fold The tree, 44 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e4:o1:1
# text = Motivated by envy and revenge, she lured the princess out onto the great grey rock above the sea, where she pushed her from the edge into the deep water below so that she could steal her place at the palace and never be discovered.
1	Motivated	motivate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	envy	envy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	revenge	revenge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	lured	lure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	out	out	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
12	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
14	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
15	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
17	above	above	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
21	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	23	advmod	_	_
22	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	pushed	push	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	parataxis	_	_
24	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	obj	_	_
25	from	from	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	edge	edge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	_
28	into	into	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	31	det	_	_
30	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	31	amod	_	_
31	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	_
32	below	below	ADV	RB	_	31	advmod	_	_
33	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	37	mark	_	_
34	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	33	fixed	_	_
35	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	37	nsubj	_	_
36	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	37	aux	_	_
37	steal	steal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	advcl	_	_
38	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	39	nmod:poss	_	_
39	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	37	obj	_	_
40	at	at	ADP	IN	_	42	case	_	_
41	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	42	det	_	_
42	palace	palace	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	37	obl	_	_
43	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	46	cc	_	_
44	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	46	advmod	_	_
45	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	46	aux:pass	_	_
46	discovered	discover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	37	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **motivate** | participle | she *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by envy and revenge | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **lure out** | past | she | the princess |  | the great grey rock above the sea |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent princess=Patient |
| 3 | **push** | past | princess | her *= she* |  | the edge |  | into the deep water | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent she=Theme from edge=Initial\_Location into water=Destination |
| 4 | **steal** | could | princess | princess's place |  | the palace |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location place=Theme |
| 5 | **not** **discover** | infinitive · passive | princess *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84-1 «NP V PP.topic S\_ING» |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Consumed by ambition and a bitter desire to rule, she waited until the princess had walked alone along the shore at dusk, then shoved her from the high rock into the churning water so she could take her place and marry the prince.

<!-- fold The tree, 43 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e4:o2:1
# text = Consumed by ambition and a bitter desire to rule, she waited until the princess had walked alone along the shore at dusk, then shoved her from the high rock into the churning water so she could take her place and marry the prince.
1	Consumed	consume	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	advcl	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	ambition	ambition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	bitter	bitter	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	desire	desire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	rule	rule	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
11	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	waited	wait	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
16	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux	_	_
17	walked	walk	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	12	ccomp	_	_
18	alone	alone	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
19	along	along	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	shore	shore	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
22	at	at	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	dusk	dusk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
25	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	26	advmod	_	_
26	shoved	shove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	conj	_	_
27	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	26	obj	_	_
28	from	from	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
29	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	31	det	_	_
30	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	31	amod	_	_
31	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
32	into	into	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
33	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	35	det	_	_
34	churning	churning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	35	compound	_	_
35	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	_
36	so	so	ADV	RB	_	39	advmod	_	_
37	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	39	nsubj	_	_
38	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	39	aux	_	_
39	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	advcl	_	_
40	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	41	nmod:poss	_	_
41	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	39	obj	_	_
42	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	43	cc	_	_
43	marry	marry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	39	conj	_	_
44	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	45	det	_	_
45	prince	prince	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	43	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **consume** | participle | she *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by ambition and a bitter desire | vn consume-66 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **rule** | to-infinitive | she *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **wait** | past | she |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **walk** | past · perfect | the princess |  |  | the shore | dusk | alone *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme along shore=Trajectory |
| 5 | **shove** | past | she *not said here* | princess |  | the high rock | then | into the churning water | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent she=Theme from rock=Initial\_Location into water=Destination |
| 6 | **take** | could | princess | princess's place |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent place=Theme |
| 7 | **marry** | infinitive | princess *not said here* | the prince |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prince=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Motivated by envy and revenge, she pushed the princess from the rock into the deep water to take her place.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e4:o3:1
# text = Motivated by envy and revenge, she pushed the princess from the rock into the deep water to take her place.
1	Motivated	motivate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	advcl	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	envy	envy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	revenge	revenge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	pushed	push	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	rock	rock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	into	into	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
20	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **motivate** | participle | she *not said here* |  |  |  |  | by envy and revenge | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **push** | past | she | the princess |  | the rock |  | into the deep water | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent princess=Theme into water=Destination from rock=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **take** | to-infinitive | she *not said here* | princess's place |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent place=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Driven by greed for the throne, she shoved the princess off the cliff to seize her place.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1154-pg3027-part20:e4:o4:1
# text = Driven by greed for the throne, she shoved the princess off the cliff to seize her place.
1	Driven	drive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	by	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	greed	greed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	throne	throne	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	shoved	shove	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	off	off	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	cliff	cliff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	seize	seize	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
17	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drive** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by greed; for the throne | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **shove** | past | she | the princess |  | the cliff |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent princess=Theme off cliff=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **seize** | to-infinitive | she *not said here* | princess's place |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent place=Theme |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
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