---
title: Why was Owen unable to dismount when the drawbridge descended? — Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why was Owen unable to dismount when the drawbridge descended? Exam question 2 of lesson 1325 «Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain, part 50: Owen beats the black knight and gets trapped in a drawbridge» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the que
---

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# Exam question 2 · Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain, part 50: Owen beats…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why was Owen unable to dismount when the drawbridge descended?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** drawbridge · **What happens:** be, dismount, descend

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1325 «Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain, part 50: Owen beats the black knight and gets trapped in a drawbridge» 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/1325-pg3454-part50/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1325-pg3454-part50:e2:1
# text = Why was Owen unable to dismount when the drawbridge descended?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	Owen	Owen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	unable	unable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	dismount	dismount	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	10	advmod	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	drawbridge	drawbridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	descended	descend	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past |  |  |  |  |  | unable *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **dismount** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **descend** | participle | the drawbridge |  |  |  |  |  | vn meander-47.7-1 «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 bridge rose beneath his saddle

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1325-pg3454-part50:e2:o1:1
# text = The bridge rose beneath his saddle
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	rose	rise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	saddle	saddle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | past | the bridge |  |  | bridge's saddle |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent beneath saddle=Location |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His horse was caught midway and held fast

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1325-pg3454-part50:e2:o2:1
# text = His horse was caught midway and held fast
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	midway	midway	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
8	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past · passive |  | His horse |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP.beneficiary NP»: subject=Beneficiary midway=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His horse was caught midway and held fast by the rising chains of the bridge

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1325-pg3454-part50:e2:o3:1
# text = His horse was caught midway and held fast by the rising chains of the bridge
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	midway	midway	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
8	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	amod	_	_
12	chains	chain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past · passive |  | His horse |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP.beneficiary NP»: subject=Beneficiary midway=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by the rising chains of the bridge; fast *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by chain=Location |
| 3 | **rise** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His horse was caught midway and held fast while the guards shouted from the wall above

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1325-pg3454-part50:e2:o4:1
# text = His horse was caught midway and held fast while the guards shouted from the wall above
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	midway	midway	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
8	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
9	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	guards	guard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	shouted	shout	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	above	above	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **catch** | past · passive |  | His horse |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP.beneficiary NP»: subject=Beneficiary midway=Theme |
| 2 | **hold** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **shout** *speech: express* | participle | the guards |  |  | the wall |  | above *property* | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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.

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- ← previous: [Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain,…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1325-pg3454-part50/e1/)
- next →: [Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain,…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1325-pg3454-part50/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Mabinogion, The Lady of the Fountain, part 50: Owen beats the black knight and gets trapped in a drawbridge](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1325-pg3454-part50/)