---
title: Which statement correctly describes the action by which Esben obtain… — Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which statement correctly describes the action by which Esben obtained the dove from the witch's courtyard? Exam question 1 of lesson 1657 «Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part 46: Esben steals the dove, then the king asks for a golden-bristled boar» of the books course of Mova's primary school, w
---

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# Exam question 1 · Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part 46: Esben steals th…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which statement correctly describes the action by which Esben obtained the dove from the witch's courtyard?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** statement, Esben · **What happens:** describe, obtain · **To what, where:** action, dove, courtyard

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1657 «Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part 46: Esben steals the dove, then the king asks for a golden-bristled boar» 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/1657-pg5615-part46/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1657-pg5615-part46:e1:1
# text = Which statement correctly describes the action by which Esben obtained the dove from the witch's courtyard?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	correctly	correctly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	obl	_	_
9	Esben	Esben	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	obtained	obtain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	dove	dove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	from	from	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	_
17	courtyard	courtyard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | present | which statement | the action |  |  |  | correctly *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent action=Theme |
| 2 | **obtain** | past | Esben | the dove |  | the witch's courtyard |  | by the action | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent dove=Theme from courtyard=Source |

<!-- .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 -->
He tossed seeds from a sack, then caught the bird

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1657-pg5615-part46:e1:o1:1
# text = He tossed seeds from a sack, then caught the bird
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tossed	toss	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	seeds	seed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sack	sack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
9	caught	catch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toss** | past | He | seeds |  | a sack |  |  | vn preparing-26.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent seed=Product from sack=Material |
| 2 | **catch** | past | He *not said here* | the bird |  |  | then |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He threw bread crumbs to the dove and then climbed the tree

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1657-pg5615-part46:e1:o2:1
# text = He threw bread crumbs to the dove and then climbed the tree
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	threw	throw	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	crumbs	crumb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	dove	dove	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	climbed	climb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	tree	tree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **throw** | past | He | bread crumbs |  | the dove |  |  | vn throw-17.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent crumb=Theme to dove=Destination |
| 2 | **climb** | past | He *not said here* | the tree |  |  | then |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location tree=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He scattered peas, then grabbed it.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1657-pg5615-part46:e1:o3:1
# text = He scattered peas, then grabbed it.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scattered	scatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	peas	pea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
6	grabbed	grab	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scatter** | past | He | peas |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent pea=Theme |
| 2 | **grab** | past | He *not said here* | it |  |  | then |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He scattered peas from a bag to lure the bird, then seized it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1657-pg5615-part46:e1:o4:1
# text = He scattered peas from a bag to lure the bird, then seized it
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	scattered	scatter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	peas	pea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bag	bag	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	lure	lure	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	_
13	seized	seize	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **scatter** | past | He | peas |  | a bag |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent pea=Theme |
| 2 | **lure** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the bird |  |  |  |  | vn lure-59.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Patient |
| 3 | **seize** | past | He *not said here* | bird |  |  | then |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=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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- ← previous: [Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part…, test 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1657-pg5615-part46/t13/)
- next →: [Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1657-pg5615-part46/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Norse Tales, Esben and the Witch, part 46: Esben steals the dove, then the king asks for a golden-bristled boar](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1657-pg5615-part46/)