---
title: State the reason the cows failed to be harmed by the burning moor an… — Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flock… · tree and pragmatics
description: State the reason the cows failed to be harmed by the burning moor and the flooding river. Exam question 2 of lesson 1184 «Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flocks, part 50: Covan feeds the raven, herds the cows through fire and flood, and is sheltered by two friends» of the books course of Mova's pri
---

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# Exam question 2 · Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flocks, part 50: Covan fe…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
State the reason the cows failed to be harmed by the burning moor and the flooding river.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** cows, burning moor · **What happens:** fail, not harm, burn · **To what, where:** State reason

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1184 «Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flocks, part 50: Covan feeds the raven, herds the cows through fire and flood, and is sheltered by two friends» 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/1184-pg3027-part50/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1184-pg3027-part50:e2:1
# text = State the reason the cows failed to be harmed by the burning moor and the flooding river.
1	State	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cows	cow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	failed	fail	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	harmed	harm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	xcomp	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	burning	burn	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	amod	_	_
13	moor	moor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	flooding	flooding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fail** | past | the cows | the State reason *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **harm** | to-infinitive · passive | the burning moor and the flooding river |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **burn** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
The cows were protected by a spell cast by the golden-haired maiden who walked beside them through the fire and the flood.

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1184-pg3027-part50:e2:o1:1
# text = The cows were protected by a spell cast by the golden-haired maiden who walked beside them through the fire and the flood.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cows	cow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	protected	protect	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	spell	spell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	cast	cast	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
11	golden	golden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	haired	haired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	maiden	maiden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
15	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	16	nsubj	_	_
16	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
17	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	_
19	through	through	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	flood	flood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **protect** | past · passive | a spell | the cows |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **cast** | participle |  | a spell *not said here* |  |  |  | by the golden haired maiden | vn throw-17.1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent by maiden=Destination |
| 3 | **walk** | past | the golden haired maiden |  |  | the fire and the flood |  | beside cows *= cow* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme beside they=Trajectory |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They obeyed Covan's calm example and were led forward.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1184-pg3027-part50:e2:o2:1
# text = They obeyed Covan's calm example and were led forward.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	obeyed	obey	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Covan	Covan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	led	lead	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
10	forward	forward	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **obey** | past | They | Covan's calm example |  |  |  |  | vn abide\_by-93.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent example=Theme |
| 2 | **lead** | past · passive | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  | forward *property* | vn result-27.2 «NP V PP» |
| 3 | **exemplify** |  | Covan |  |  |  |  |  | nom example «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They followed Covan's steadfast example and were guided onward.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1184-pg3027-part50:e2:o3:1
# text = They followed Covan's steadfast example and were guided onward.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	followed	follow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Covan	Covan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	steadfast	steadfast	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	guided	guide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
10	onward	onward	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | past | They | Covan's steadfast example |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent example=Theme |
| 2 | **guide** | past · passive | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  | onward *property* | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP» |
| 3 | **exemplify** |  | Covan |  |  |  |  |  | nom example «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They copied Covan's steady lead and were guided on.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1184-pg3027-part50:e2:o4:1
# text = They copied Covan's steady lead and were guided on.
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	copied	copy	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Covan	Covan	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	steady	steady	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lead	lead	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	guided	guide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **copy** | past | They | Covan's steady lead |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lead=Theme |
| 2 | **guide on** | past · passive | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP» |

<!-- 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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- ← previous: [Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flock…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1184-pg3027-part50/e1/)
- next →: [Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flock…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1184-pg3027-part50/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Celtic Fairy Tales, Gorla of the Flocks, part 50: Covan feeds the raven, herds the cows through fire and flood, and is sheltered by two friends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1184-pg3027-part50/)