---
title: With reference to the text, what is the meaning of the expression "w… — Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes… · tree and pragmatics
description: With reference to the text, what is the meaning of the expression "with an air of dignity and unconcern"? Exam question 2 of lesson 133 «Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes: a hungry Fox jumps for grapes he cannot reach and walks off, calling them sour» of the books course of Mova's primary schoo
---

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# Exam question 2 · Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes: a hungry Fox jumps…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With reference to the text, what is the meaning of the expression "with an air of dignity and unconcern"?

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

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 133 «Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes: a hungry Fox jumps for grapes he cannot reach and walks off, calling them sour» 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/133-pg11339-part3/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:133-pg11339-part3:e2:1
# text = With reference to the text, what is the meaning of the expression "with an air of dignity and unconcern"?
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	reference	reference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	expression	expression	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	dignity	dignity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
21	unconcern	unconcern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the text | the meaning |  |  |  | of the expression with a air of dignity and unconcern | 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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Fox departed with a composed and proud manner, showing no visible distress.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:133-pg11339-part3:e2:o1:1
# text = The Fox departed with a composed and proud manner, showing no visible distress.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Fox	Fox	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	departed	depart	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
6	composed	compose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	proud	proud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
9	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	showing	show	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
12	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	14	det	_	_
13	visible	visible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	distress	distress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **depart** | past | the Fox |  |  |  |  | with a composed manner | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **compose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **show** | gerund | the Fox *not said here* | no visible distress |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent distress=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Fox fled in a state of panic and fear.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:133-pg11339-part3:e2:o2:1
# text = The Fox fled in a state of panic and fear.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	fled	flee	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	panic	panic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flee** | past | the Fox |  |  | a state of panic and fear |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Fox left the field with a sad and beaten look, hanging his head low and feeling ashamed of his failure.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:133-pg11339-part3:e2:o3:1
# text = The Fox left the field with a sad and beaten look, hanging his head low and feeling ashamed of his failure.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
8	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	beaten	beat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
11	look	look	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	hanging	hang	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	advcl	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	xcomp	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	feeling	feel	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	conj	_	_
19	ashamed	ashamed	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	xcomp	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
22	failure	failure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | the Fox | the field |  |  |  | with a sad look | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: agent=Agent field=Recipient with look=Theme |
| 2 | **beat** | participle | the Fox *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **hang** | gerund | the Fox *not said here* |  |  |  |  | low *property* | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **feel** | gerund | the Fox *not said here* |  |  |  |  | ashamed *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 5 | **fail** |  | Fox |  |  |  |  |  | nom failure «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Fox walked off in a calm, dignified way, but he was secretly angry.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:133-pg11339-part3:e2:o4:1
# text = The Fox walked off in a calm, dignified way, but he was secretly angry.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	walked	walk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
9	dignified	dignified	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	secretly	secretly	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **walk off** | past | the Fox |  |  | a calm dignified way |  |  | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | Fox |  |  |  |  | angry, secretly *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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: [Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/133-pg11339-part3/e1/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/133-pg11339-part3/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Fox and the Grapes: a hungry Fox jumps for grapes he cannot reach and walks off, calling them sour](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/133-pg11339-part3/)