---
title: Identify the agent responsible for the imprisonment of the eleven br… — Lang's Fairy Book, Esben and the Witch… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the agent responsible for the imprisonment of the eleven brothers prior to the events described. Exam question 2 of lesson 1659 «Lang's Fairy Book, Esben and the Witch: Esben roasts the witch, saves his brothers and goes home» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependenc
---

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# Exam question 2 · Lang's Fairy Book, Esben and the Witch: Esben roasts the w…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the agent responsible for the imprisonment of the eleven brothers prior to the events described.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, events · **What happens:** identify, describe, imprison · **To what, where:** agent, eleven brothers

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1659 «Lang's Fairy Book, Esben and the Witch: Esben roasts the witch, saves his brothers and goes home» 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/1659-pg5615-part48/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1659-pg5615-part48:e2:1
# text = Identify the agent responsible for the imprisonment of the eleven brothers prior to the events described.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	agent	agent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	responsible	responsible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	imprisonment	imprisonment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	eleven	eleven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
12	prior	prior	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	15	case	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	fixed	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	events	event	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	described	describe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the agent |  |  |  | responsible *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | past | the events | the eleven brothers *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent brother=Theme |
| 3 | **imprison** |  |  | the eleven brothers |  |  |  |  | nom imprisonment «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch, who had cursed them for their boldness and greed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1659-pg5615-part48:e2:o1:1
# text = The witch, who had cursed them for their boldness and greed
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	cursed	curse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	boldness	boldness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	greed	greed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **curse** | past · perfect | the witch | them *= they* |  |  |  | for their boldness and greed | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent they=Theme for boldness=Attribute |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king, who had demanded the coverlet as proof of their success and then locked them away

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1659-pg5615-part48:e2:o2:1
# text = The king, who had demanded the coverlet as proof of their success and then locked them away
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	demanded	demand	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	coverlet	coverlet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	proof	proof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
15	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	16	advmod	_	_
16	locked	lock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	_
18	away	away	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **demand** *speech: request* | past · perfect | the king | the coverlet |  |  |  | as proof of their success | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme coverlet=Precondition |
| 2 | **lock away** | past | the king | them *= they* |  |  | then | away *property* | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 3 | **proof** |  |  | their success |  |  |  |  | nom proof «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The king, who had demanded the coverlet as proof of their success

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1659-pg5615-part48:e2:o3:1
# text = The king, who had demanded the coverlet as proof of their success
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	demanded	demand	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	acl:relcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	coverlet	coverlet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	proof	proof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **demand** *speech: request* | past · perfect | the king | the coverlet |  |  |  | as proof of their success | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme coverlet=Precondition |
| 2 | **proof** |  |  | their success |  |  |  |  | nom proof «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old king's chief steward, who had insisted that the coverlet be brought back as undeniable proof of their success

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1659-pg5615-part48:e2:o4:1
# text = The old king's chief steward, who had insisted that the coverlet be brought back as undeniable proof of their success
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	's	's	PART	POS	_	3	case	_	_
5	chief	chief	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	steward	steward	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	insisted	insist	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	coverlet	coverlet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	brought	bring	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	advcl	_	_
16	back	back	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
17	as	as	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	undeniable	undeniable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	proof	proof	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
22	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insist** *speech: other* | past · perfect | the old king's chief steward |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bring back** | infinitive · passive |  | the coverlet |  |  |  | as undeniable proof of their success | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: subject=Theme |
| 3 | **proof** |  |  | their success |  |  |  |  | nom proof «cognition transitive»: of=patient |

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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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