---
title: Pursuant to the text, what was the principal reason for Prince Saphi… — The Green Fairy Book, The Little Green… · tree and pragmatics
description: Pursuant to the text, what was the principal reason for Prince Saphir's departure in search of the bird? Exam question 2 of lesson 1689 «The Green Fairy Book, The Little Green Frog, part 13: Prince Saphir sets out to find the magic bird that cured his father» of the books course of Mova's primary sc
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Green Fairy Book, The Little Green Frog, part 13: Prin…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pursuant to the text, what was the principal reason for Prince Saphir's departure in search of the bird?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** text, Saphir · **What happens:** be, depart, search · **To what, where:** principal reason, search, bird

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1689 «The Green Fairy Book, The Little Green Frog, part 13: Prince Saphir sets out to find the magic bird that cured his father» 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/1689-pg640-part13/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1689-pg640-part13:e2:1
# text = Pursuant to the text, what was the principal reason for Prince Saphir's departure in search of the bird?
1	Pursuant	pursuant	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	10	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	acl:relcl	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
12	Prince	Prince	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:desc	_	_
13	Saphir	Saphir	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	13	case	_	_
15	departure	departure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	search	search	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the text | the principal reason |  | search of the bird |  | for Saphir  Prince's departure | tree rules |
| 2 | **depart** |  | Saphir  Prince |  |  |  |  |  | nom departure «act intransitive»: poss=agent |
| 3 | **search** |  |  | the bird |  |  |  |  | nom search «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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His tender concern for his stricken father, combined with the fairies' secret instructions to find the bird

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1689-pg640-part13:e2:o1:1
# text = His tender concern for his stricken father, combined with the fairies' secret instructions to find the bird
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	tender	tender	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	concern	concern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:outer	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	stricken	stricken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	combined	combine	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	fairies	fairy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	'	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	secret	secret	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	instructions	instruction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **combine** | participle | His tender concern for concern's stricken father |  |  |  |  | with the fairies's secret instructions | vn mix-22.1-1-1 «NP V PP.co-patient»: agent=Patient with instruction=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **find** | to-infinitive | His tender concern for concern's stricken father *not said here* | the bird |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Topic |
| 3 | **concern** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  | for concern's stricken father | nom concern «cognition transitive»: poss=agent for=obl |
| 4 | **instruct** |  | the fairies |  |  |  |  |  | nom instruction «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His affection for his afflicted father, whose recovery he sought

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1689-pg640-part13:e2:o2:1
# text = His affection for his afflicted father, whose recovery he sought
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	affection	affection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	afflicted	afflict	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	amod	_	_
6	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	whose	whose	PRON	WP$	Poss=Yes|PronType=Rel	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	recovery	recovery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	sought	seek	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **afflict** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **seek** | past | His affection for affection's afflicted father and affection's afflicted father and recovery's recovery |  |  |  |  |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **recover** |  | affection's afflicted father and affection's afflicted father and recovery's recovery |  |  |  |  |  | nom recovery «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His wish to claim the throne after the King's sudden death

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1689-pg640-part13:e2:o3:1
# text = His wish to claim the throne after the King's sudden death
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	claim	claim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	throne	throne	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	after	after	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	's	's	PART	POS	_	9	case	_	_
11	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **claim** *speech: other* | to-infinitive | His wish | the throne |  |  | after the King's sudden death |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent throne=Topic |
| 2 | **wish** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  |  | nom wish «feeling intransitive»: poss=agent |
| 3 | **die** |  | the King |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His deep devotion to his ailing father, together with a wish to restore the kingdom's prosperity

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1689-pg640-part13:e2:o4:1
# text = His deep devotion to his ailing father, together with a wish to restore the kingdom's prosperity
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	deep	deep	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	devotion	devotion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	ailing	ailing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	together	together	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	restore	restore	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	kingdom	kingdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	prosperity	prosperity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **restore** | to-infinitive |  | the kingdom's prosperity |  |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent prosperity=Theme |
| 2 | **devote** |  | His *= he* |  |  |  |  | to his ailing father | nom devotion «feeling transitive»: poss=agent to=obl |

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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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