---
title: what's the deal with the barber's tail snip? — African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and t… · tree and pragmatics
description: what's the deal with the barber's tail snip? Test 9 · ★ 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, with the dependency tree and p
---

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# Test 9 · ★ · African Folk-Tales, The Tortoise and the Monkey, part 60:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
what's the deal with the barber's tail snip?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** deal · **What happens:** be

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★ 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. 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/#t9).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:t9:1
# text = what's the deal with the barber's tail snip?
1	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	deal	deal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	barber	barber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	tail	tail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	snip	snip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the deal with the barber's tail snip |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor back while the barber laughed at him from the shop door

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:t9:o1:1
# text = the monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor back while the barber laughed at him from the shop door
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
3	stormed	storm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	roaring	roar	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	14	advcl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	razor	razor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
11	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	barber	barber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obl	_	_
17	from	from	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	compound	_	_
20	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **storm off** | participle |  | the monkey *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |
| 2 | **roar** | gerund | the monkey *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for monkey's razor | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient S\_INF»: agent=Agent for razor=Recipient |
| 3 | **laugh** | past | the monkey |  |  | the shop door |  | at barber | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor, and then he came back to steal a whole basket of fish

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:t9:o2:1
# text = the monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor, and then he came back to steal a whole basket of fish
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
3	stormed	storm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	roaring	roar	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	razor	razor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	14	advmod	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	back	back	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	steal	steal	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	fish	fish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **storm off** | participle |  | the monkey *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |
| 2 | **roar** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | for monkey's razor | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient S\_INF»: agent=Agent for razor=Recipient |
| 3 | **come back** | past | the monkey |  |  |  | then |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **steal** | to-infinitive | the monkey *not said here* | a whole basket of fish |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location basket=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:t9:o3:1
# text = the monkey stormed off, roaring for his razor
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	stormed	storm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	roaring	roar	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	razor	razor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **storm off** | participle |  | the monkey *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn weather-57 «It V PP.theme» |
| 2 | **roar** | gerund | the monkey *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for monkey's razor | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient S\_INF»: agent=Agent for razor=Recipient |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the barber cut him and he laughed it off

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1259-pg3282-part60:t9:o4:1
# text = the barber cut him and he laughed it off
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	barber	barber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	cut	cut	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	laughed	laugh	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	off	off	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cut** | past | the barber | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Product |
| 2 | **laugh off** | past | barber | it |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

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**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 [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](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1259-pg3282-part60/)