---
title: Which of the following best describes the action of the old woman at… — Japanese Fairy Tales, The Tongue-Cut S… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following best describes the action of the old woman at the moment she lifted the lid of the box? Exam question 1 of lesson 1344 «Japanese Fairy Tales, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, part 4: the greedy old wife opens the big box and finds demons» of the books course of Mova's primary school, w
---

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# Exam question 1 · Japanese Fairy Tales, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, part 4: the…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following best describes the action of the old woman at the moment she lifted the lid of the box?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** woman, old woman · **What happens:** follow, describe, lift, act · **To what, where:** action, lid

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1344 «Japanese Fairy Tales, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, part 4: the greedy old wife opens the big box and finds demons» 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/1344-pg4018-part4/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1344-pg4018-part4:e1:1
# text = Which of the following best describes the action of the old woman at the moment she lifted the lid of the box?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	obj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	case	_	_
5	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	nmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	woman	woman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	17	nsubj	_	_
17	lifted	lift	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	acl:relcl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	lid	lid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | the action of the old woman at the moment |  |  |  | of the best | tree rules |
| 3 | **lift** | past | woman | the lid of the box |  |  |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lid=Theme |
| 4 | **act** |  | the old woman at the moment |  |  |  |  |  | nom action «act intransitive»: of=agent |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was confronted by a number of horrible demons that surrounded her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1344-pg4018-part4:e1:o1:1
# text = She was confronted by a number of horrible demons that surrounded her
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	confronted	confront	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	demons	demon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	surrounded	surround	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
12	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confront** | past · passive | a number of horrible demons | She |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **surround** | participle · passive |  | horrible demons |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She discovered the box held only a small note inside

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1344-pg4018-part4:e1:o2:1
# text = She discovered the box held only a small note inside
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	discovered	discover	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	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	note	note	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
10	inside	inside	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discover** | past | She |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **hold** | past | the box | a small note |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent note=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was confronted by a crowd of horrible demons that surrounded her and then vanished into the air

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1344-pg4018-part4:e1:o3:1
# text = She was confronted by a crowd of horrible demons that surrounded her and then vanished into the air
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	confronted	confront	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	crowd	crowd	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	demons	demon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	surrounded	surround	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
12	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
15	vanished	vanish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
16	into	into	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confront** | past · passive | a crowd of horrible demons | She |  |  |  |  | vn confront-98 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **surround** | participle · passive |  | horrible demons |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **vanish** | past | a crowd of horrible demons *not said here* |  |  | the air | then |  | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She was attacked by a number of horrible demons that surrounded her while she screamed for help from her husband at home

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1344-pg4018-part4:e1:o4:1
# text = She was attacked by a number of horrible demons that surrounded her while she screamed for help from her husband at home
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	attacked	attack	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	horrible	horrible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	demons	demon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
11	surrounded	surround	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	_
12	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	screamed	scream	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
16	for	for	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
18	from	from	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	20	nmod:poss	_	_
20	husband	husband	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
21	at	at	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attack** | past · passive | a number of horrible demons | She |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **surround** | participle · passive |  | horrible demons |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **scream** *speech: express* | past | she |  |  | home |  | for help; from her husband | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme at home=Location |

<!-- 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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- ↑ back to [Japanese Fairy Tales, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, part 4: the greedy old wife opens the big box and finds demons](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1344-pg4018-part4/)