---
title: the farmer's boy and his sling, is that just a slingshot or what — Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, a… · tree and pragmatics
description: the farmer's boy and his sling, is that just a slingshot or what Test 9 · ★ of lesson 150 «Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics o
---

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# Test 9 · ★ · Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 2…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the farmer's boy and his sling, is that just a slingshot or what

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

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★ of lesson 150 «Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field» 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/150-pg11339-part20/#t9).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t9:1
# text = the farmer's boy and his sling, is that just a slingshot or what
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	sling	sling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	13	nsubj	_	_
11	just	just	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	slingshot	slingshot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	13	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the farmer's boy and farmer's sling | a slingshot |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
yeah, the birds get the word and bolt the second he asks for it

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t9:o1:1
# text = yeah, the birds get the word and bolt the second he asks for it
1	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	bolt	bolt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	second	second	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | the birds | the word |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer word=Stimulus |
| 2 | **bolt** | present | the birds *not said here* |  |  |  | second |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | he |  |  |  |  | for word | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
yeah, the starlings sing and the birds fly off the second he asks

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t9:o2:1
# text = yeah, the starlings sing and the birds fly off the second he asks
1	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	sing	sing	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	advcl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	fly	fly	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
10	off	off	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	second	second	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* | present | the starlings |  |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **fly off** | present | the birds |  |  |  | second |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location second=Theme |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
yeah, the rooks just sit there and laugh when he asks

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t9:o3:1
# text = yeah, the rooks just sit there and laugh when he asks
1	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rooks	rook	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	just	just	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	sit	sit	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	laugh	laugh	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
10	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sit** | present | the rooks |  |  | there |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **laugh** | present | the rooks *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
yeah, the birds get the word from the starlings and bolt the second he asks for the sling, and he's left with nothing

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:150-pg11339-part20:t9:o4:1
# text = yeah, the birds get the word from the starlings and bolt the second he asks for the sling, and he's left with nothing
1	yeah	yeah	INTJ	UH	_	5	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	get	get	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	starlings	starling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	bolt	bolt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	second	second	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	acl:relcl	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	sling	sling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
22	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	24	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	aux:pass	_	_
24	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
25	with	with	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	24	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | the birds | the word |  | the starlings |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent word=Theme from starling=Source |
| 2 | **bolt** | present | the birds *not said here* |  |  |  | second |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | he | the second *not said here* |  |  |  | for the sling | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent second=Recipient |
| 4 | **leave** | present · passive |  | he |  |  |  | with nothing | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: subject=Recipient with nothing=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 [Aesop's Fables, The Farmer, His Boy, and the Rooks, part 20: the boy's sling sends the rooks flying from the wheat field](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/150-pg11339-part20/)