---
title: What, according to the text, was the principal impediment preventing… — Red Fairy Book, The Twelve Dancing Pri… · tree and pragmatics
description: What, according to the text, was the principal impediment preventing Michael from seeking the hand of the Princess Lina at this stage of the narrative? Exam question 4 of lesson 1504 «Red Fairy Book, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, part 1: Michael the Star Gazer finds two magic laurels» of the books 
---

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# Exam question 4 · Red Fairy Book, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, part 1: Mic…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What, according to the text, was the principal impediment preventing Michael from seeking the hand of the Princess Lina at this stage of the narrative?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** principal impediment · **What happens:** accord, be, prevent, seek · **To what, where:** text, principal impediment, Michael, hand, stage

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 1504 «Red Fairy Book, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, part 1: Michael the Star Gazer finds two magic laurels» 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/1504-pg540-part1/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1504-pg540-part1:e4:1
# text = What, according to the text, was the principal impediment preventing Michael from seeking the hand of the Princess Lina at this stage of the narrative?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	according	accord	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	1	acl	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	impediment	impediment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	preventing	prevent	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	Michael	Michael	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
14	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	seeking	seek	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	Princess	Princess	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	21	compound	_	_
21	Lina	Lina	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
22	at	at	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	24	det	_	_
24	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	narrative	narrative	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accord** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the text *goal* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent to text=Goal |
| 2 | **is a** | past |  | the principal impediment |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **prevent** | gerund | the principal impediment *not said here* | Michael |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer michael=Theme |
| 4 | **seek** | gerund | the principal impediment *not said here* | the hand of the Princess Lina |  | this stage of the narrative |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent hand=Theme at stage=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 -->
His fear of being ridiculed or dismissed from the castle on account of his presumption

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1504-pg540-part1:e4:o1:1
# text = His fear of being ridiculed or dismissed from the castle on account of his presumption
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	ridiculed	ridicule	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dismissed	dismiss	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	presumption	presumption	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ridicule** | gerund · passive |  | His fear |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **dismiss** | participle |  |  |  | the castle |  | on account of his presumption | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent from castle=Source |
| 3 | **fear** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |
| 4 | **account** |  |  | his presumption |  |  |  |  | nom account «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 5 | **presume** |  | his *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom presumption «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His worry that the princess was already promised to another suitor

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1504-pg540-part1:e4:o2:1
# text = His worry that the princess was already promised to another suitor
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	worry	worry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
7	already	already	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	promised	promise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	det	_	_
11	suitor	suitor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **promise** *speech: promise* | past · passive | His worry *not said here* | the princess |  |  |  | to another suitor *goal* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: subject=Theme to suitor=Goal |
| 2 | **worry** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom worry «cognition intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His lack of a suitable title and the strict rules of the household

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1504-pg540-part1:e4:o3:1
# text = His lack of a suitable title and the strict rules of the household
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	lack	lack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	suitable	suitable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	title	title	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	household	household	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lack** |  | His *= he* | a suitable title and the strict rules of the household |  |  |  |  | nom lack «state transitive»: poss=agent of=patient |
| 2 | **rule** |  | the household |  |  |  |  |  | nom rule «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His fear of being ridiculed or dismissed from the castle on account of his presumption, which he believed the princesses would never forgive

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1504-pg540-part1:e4:o4:1
# text = His fear of being ridiculed or dismissed from the castle on account of his presumption, which he believed the princesses would never forgive
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	fear	fear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
4	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	ridiculed	ridicule	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	dismissed	dismiss	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
8	from	from	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	presumption	presumption	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
18	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
19	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	acl:relcl	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	princesses	princess	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obj	_	_
22	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	24	aux	_	_
23	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	24	advmod	_	_
24	forgive	forgive	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ridicule** | gerund · passive |  | His fear *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP» |
| 2 | **dismiss** | participle |  |  |  | the castle |  | on account of fear's presumption | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent from castle=Source |
| 3 | **believe** | past | fear's presumption | the princesses |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer princess=Stimulus |
| 4 | **not** **forgive** | would | His fear |  |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 5 | **fear** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom fear «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |
| 6 | **account** |  |  | fear's presumption |  |  |  |  | nom account «communication transitive»: of=patient |
| 7 | **presume** |  | fear |  |  |  |  |  | nom presumption «cognition transitive»: poss=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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