---
title: How does the narrator characterise the old husband's conduct in the… — Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the S… · tree and pragmatics
description: How does the narrator characterise the old husband's conduct in the course of the foregoing passage? Exam question 4 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 depend
---

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# Exam question 4 · Japanese Tales, The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue, part 60:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How does the narrator characterise the old husband's conduct in the course of the foregoing passage?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** narrator, old husband · **What happens:** characterise, conduct · **To what, where:** conduct, course

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e4:1
# text = How does the narrator characterise the old husband's conduct in the course of the foregoing passage?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	narrator	narrator	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	characterise	characterise	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	husband	husband	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	conduct	conduct	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	foregoing	foregoing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	passage	passage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characterise** | present · do-support | the narrator | the old husband's conduct |  | the course of the foregoing passage |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **conduct** |  | the old husband |  |  |  |  |  | nom conduct «act transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- .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 -->
As good-natured, honest, and unusually patient in the face of his wife's violent temper and constant bitter complaints

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e4:o1:1
# text = As good-natured, honest, and unusually patient in the face of his wife's violent temper and constant bitter complaints
1	As	as	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	natured	natured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	unusually	unusually	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	patient	patient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
15	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	violent	violent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
20	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
21	constant	constant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
22	bitter	bitter	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	complaints	complaint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **temper** |  | his wife |  |  |  |  |  | nom temper «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As good-natured and honest, and patient in the face of his wife's temper

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e4:o2:1
# text = As good-natured and honest, and patient in the face of his wife's temper
1	As	as	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	natured	natured	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	honest	honest	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	patient	patient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	face	face	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	_
17	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **temper** |  | his wife |  |  |  |  |  | nom temper «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As wise and humble, though often mocked by his own neighbours

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e4:o3:1
# text = As wise and humble, though often mocked by his own neighbours
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	wise	wise	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	humble	humble	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	though	though	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
7	often	often	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	mocked	mock	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	neighbours	neighbour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mock** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | by his own neighbours; often, though *property* | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As a gentle and devout man whose kindness, honesty, and quiet patience were tested again and again by his wife's temper

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1671-pg5615-part60:e4:o4:1
# text = As a gentle and devout man whose kindness, honesty, and quiet patience were tested again and again by his wife's temper
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
3	gentle	gentle	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	devout	devout	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
6	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	honesty	honesty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
13	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	patience	patience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	tested	test	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
17	again	again	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	again	again	ADV	RB	_	17	conj	_	_
20	by	by	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
21	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	22	nmod:poss	_	_
22	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	's	's	PART	POS	_	22	case	_	_
24	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **test** | past · passive | man's wife's temper | quiet patience |  |  | again |  | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Theme |
| 2 | **temper** |  | man's wife |  |  |  |  |  | nom temper «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

<!-- div src -->

**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 →: [Wonder Tales from Many Lands, The Stor…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1672-pg5615-part61/t1/)
- ↑ 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/)