---
title: Question: With reference to the passage, identify the means by which… — African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and t… · tree and pragmatics
description: Question: With reference to the passage, identify the means by which the tortoise secured his victory over the stag. Exam question 1 of lesson 1259 «African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and the Monkey, part 60: the tortoise tricks the fox and the stag, and the monkey cheats the barber and the villagers»
---

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# Exam question 1 · African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and the Monkey, part 60:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Question: With reference to the passage, identify the means by which the tortoise secured his victory over the stag.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** tortoise · **What happens:** identify, mean, secure · **To what, where:** victory, stag · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1259 «African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and the Monkey, part 60: the tortoise tricks the fox and the stag, and the monkey cheats the barber and the villagers» 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/1259-pg3282-part60/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:e1:1
# text = Question: With reference to the passage, identify the means by which the tortoise secured his victory over the stag.
1	Question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	With	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	reference	reference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	passage	passage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
9	identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	11	nsubj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	nsubj	_	_
11	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	secured	secure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	_
17	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	victory	victory	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	over	over	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	stag	stag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn empathize-88.2 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **secure** | past | the tortoise | tortoise's victory |  | the stag |  |  | vn ensure-99 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition victory=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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He used the sun's rays as a signal, hid his relatives along the course, and let each of them answer the stag so that the stag was fooled into racing to death

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:e1:o1:1
# text = He used the sun's rays as a signal, hid his relatives along the course, and let each of them answer the stag so that the stag was fooled into racing to death
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	used	use	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	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	rays	ray	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	relatives	relative	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obj	_	_
14	along	along	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
20	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	23	nsubj	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nmod	_	_
23	answer	answer	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	parataxis	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	stag	stag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	_
26	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	31	mark	_	_
27	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	26	fixed	_	_
28	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
29	stag	stag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	nsubj:pass	_	_
30	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	31	aux:pass	_	_
31	fooled	fool	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	advcl	_	_
32	into	into	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
33	racing	racing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	_
34	to	to	ADP	IN	_	35	case	_	_
35	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | past | He | the sun's rays |  |  |  | as a signal | vn spend\_time-104 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent ray=Duration as signal=Attribute |
| 2 | **hide** | past | He *not said here* | his relatives |  | the course |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent relative=Patient along course=Location |
| 3 | **let** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **answer** *speech: assert* | present | each | the stag |  |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent stag=Eventuality |
| 5 | **fool** | past · passive |  | the stag |  |  |  | into racing *result*; to death | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Patient into racing=Result |
| 6 | **ray** |  | the sun |  |  |  |  |  | nom ray «phenomenon transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He placed his relatives on the course so the stag thought each was the tortoise

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:e1:o2:1
# text = He placed his relatives on the course so the stag thought each was the tortoise
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	placed	place	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	relatives	relative	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	stag	stag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
12	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	15	det	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **place** | past | He | his relatives |  | the course |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent relative=Theme on course=Destination |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the stag |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past |  | each tortoise |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He concealed his kinsmen along the course so that each was taken to be the tortoise himself

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:e1:o3:1
# text = He concealed his kinsmen along the course so that each was taken to be the tortoise himself
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	concealed	conceal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	kinsmen	kinsman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	along	along	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	12	mark	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
10	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	taken	take	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	cop	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
17	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	16	nmod:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **conceal** | past | He | his kinsmen |  | the course |  |  | vn concealment-16 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent kinsman=Patient along course=Location |
| 2 | **take** | past · passive |  | each |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **is a** | to-infinitive |  | the tortoise |  |  |  | himself *= he* *nmod:unmarked* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He secretly hid his kinsmen at every stage of the course, so that the stag believed each one he met was the tortoise himself, and he won by trickery

<!-- fold The tree, 29 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:e1:o4:1
# text = He secretly hid his kinsmen at every stage of the course, so that the stag believed each one he met was the tortoise himself, and he won by trickery
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	kinsmen	kinsman	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
13	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	17	mark	_	_
14	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	stag	stag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
17	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
18	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	19	det	_	_
19	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nsubj	_	_
20	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	met	meet	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	acl:relcl	_	_
22	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	24	cop	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	ccomp	_	_
25	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Emp|Reflex=Yes	24	nmod:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	29	punct	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
28	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	29	nsubj	_	_
29	won	win	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
30	by	by	ADP	IN	_	31	case	_	_
31	trickery	trickery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | past | He | his kinsmen |  | every stage of the course |  | secretly *property* | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent kinsman=Patient at stage=Location |
| 2 | **believe** | past | the stag |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **meet** | past | stag | each one *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Co-Agent |
| 4 | **is a** | past | each one | the tortoise |  |  |  | stag *nmod:unmarked* | tree rules |
| 5 | **win** | past | stag |  |  |  |  | by trickery | vn succeed-74-2 «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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