---
title: How did the brother's situation oblige him to remain at his post? — Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket… · tree and pragmatics
description: How did the brother's situation oblige him to remain at his post? Exam question 2 of lesson 1311 «Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket, part 2: the snakes' gifts, a palace built in a moment, and the king's visit» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics
---

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# Exam question 2 · Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket, part 2: the snakes…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How did the brother's situation oblige him to remain at his post?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** situation · **What happens:** be, oblige, remain · **To what, where:** him, post

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1311 «Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket, part 2: the snakes' gifts, a palace built in a moment, and the king's visit» 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/1311-pg3454-part36/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1311-pg3454-part36:e2:1
# text = How did the brother's situation oblige him to remain at his post?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	oblige	oblige	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	remain	remain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
11	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  |  | how *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **oblige** | present | the brother's situation | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 3 | **remain** | to-infinitive | the brother's situation *not said here* |  |  | situation's post |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at post=Location |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He would have been seized by the royal guards had he deserted

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1311-pg3454-part36:e2:o1:1
# text = He would have been seized by the royal guards had he deserted
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	seized	seize	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	advcl	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	royal	royal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	deserted	desert	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seize** | would · perfect · passive | the royal guards | He |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **desert** | past · perfect | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn leave-51.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had sworn an oath that the guards would enforce on his family

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1311-pg3454-part36:e2:o2:1
# text = He had sworn an oath that the guards would enforce on his family
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	sworn	swear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	oath	oath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
9	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	enforce	enforce	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **swear** | past · perfect | He | a oath |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Agent oath=Eventuality |
| 2 | **enforce** | would | the guards |  |  | his family |  |  | vn enforce-63 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He would have been seized by the royal guards had he deserted his post during the tale

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1311-pg3454-part36:e2:o3:1
# text = He would have been seized by the royal guards had he deserted his post during the tale
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	seized	seize	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	royal	royal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	deserted	desert	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	during	during	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seize** | would · perfect · passive | the royal guards | He |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **desert** | past | he | his post |  |  | during the tale |  | vn leave-51.2-1 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme post=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He would have been seized by the royal guards and executed had he deserted his post at the gate

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1311-pg3454-part36:e2:o4:1
# text = He would have been seized by the royal guards and executed had he deserted his post at the gate
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	have	have	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux	_	_
4	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	seized	seize	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	royal	royal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	executed	execute	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	deserted	desert	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	ccomp	_	_
15	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **seize** | would · perfect · passive | the royal guards | He |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **execute** | past | the royal guards *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **desert** | past | he | his post |  | the gate |  |  | vn leave-51.2-1 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme post=Source |

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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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- ← previous: [Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1311-pg3454-part36/e1/)
- next →: [Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1311-pg3454-part36/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Swaheli Tales, The Ring and the Casket, part 2: the snakes' gifts, a palace built in a moment, and the king's visit](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1311-pg3454-part36/)