---
title: What circumstance is cited as the cause of the wife's delay in reach… — Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the S… · tree and pragmatics
description: What circumstance is cited as the cause of the wife's delay in reaching the sparrow-princess's house? Exam question 3 of lesson 1671 «Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, part 60: the old man's gift and the greedy wife's trip» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depen
---

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# Exam question 3 · Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, part 60:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What circumstance is cited as the cause of the wife's delay in reaching the sparrow-princess's house?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** delay · **What happens:** cite, reach, cause · **To what, where:** house, delay

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1671 «Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, part 60: the old man's gift and the greedy wife's trip» 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/1671-pg5615-part60/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e3:1
# text = What circumstance is cited as the cause of the wife's delay in reaching the sparrow-princess's house?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	circumstance	circumstance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	cited	cite	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	delay	delay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
13	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
14	reaching	reach	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	acl	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	's	's	PART	POS	_	18	case	_	_
20	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cite** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  | as the cause of the wife's delay | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: subject=Theme as cause=Attribute |
| 2 | **reach** | gerund | the wife's delay *not said here* | the sparrow princess's house |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent house=Theme |
| 3 | **cause** |  |  | the wife's delay |  |  |  |  | nom cause «event 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 -->
A sudden storm that flooded the lowland road, forcing her to wander through a tangled mountain forest for half the night

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e3:o1:1
# text = A sudden storm that flooded the lowland road, forcing her to wander through a tangled mountain forest for half the night
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	flooded	flood	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	lowland	lowland	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	forcing	force	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	advcl	_	_
11	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	wander	wander	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
14	through	through	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
16	tangled	tangle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	_
17	mountain	mountain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
20	half	half	DET	PDT	NumForm=Word|NumType=Frac|PronType=Ind	22	det:predet	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **flood** | past | a sudden storm | the lowland road |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent road=Patient |
| 2 | **force** | gerund | a sudden storm *not said here* | storm |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent she=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **wander** | to-infinitive | storm *not said here* |  |  | a tangled mountain forest | night |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through forest=Trajectory |
| 4 | **tangle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her precipitate haste, which caused her repeatedly to miss the path that wound through the dark forest toward the sparrow-princess's garden

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e3:o2:1
# text = Her precipitate haste, which caused her repeatedly to miss the path that wound through the dark forest toward the sparrow-princess's garden
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	precipitate	precipitate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	haste	haste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	repeatedly	repeatedly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	miss	miss	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	nsubj	_	_
14	wound	wound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
15	through	through	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
19	toward	toward	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
21	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	's	's	PART	POS	_	23	case	_	_
25	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | past | Her precipitate haste |  | her *= she* |  |  | repeatedly *property* | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition she=Patient |
| 2 | **miss** | to-infinitive | Her precipitate haste *not said here* | the path |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer path=Stimulus |
| 3 | **wound** | present | the path |  |  | the dark forest |  | toward the sparrow princess's garden | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her precipitate haste, which caused her repeatedly to miss the path

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e3:o3:1
# text = Her precipitate haste, which caused her repeatedly to miss the path
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	precipitate	precipitate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	haste	haste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	caused	cause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	repeatedly	repeatedly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	miss	miss	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	path	path	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | past | Her precipitate haste |  | her *= she* |  |  | repeatedly *property* | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition she=Patient |
| 2 | **miss** | to-infinitive | Her precipitate haste *not said here* | the path |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer path=Stimulus |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The thick fog that rolled over the hills and hid every road

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e3:o4:1
# text = The thick fog that rolled over the hills and hid every road
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	thick	thick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	rolled	roll	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
6	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hills	hill	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
10	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
11	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	road	road	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **roll** | past | the thick fog |  |  | the hills |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme over hill=Trajectory |
| 2 | **hide** | past | the thick fog | every road |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent road=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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- next →: [Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the S…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1671-pg5615-part60/e4/)
- ↑ back to [Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, part 60: the old man's gift and the greedy wife's trip](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1671-pg5615-part60/)