---
title: Identify the reason the King of the Ants gave for requesting Jesper'… — Danish Fairy Tales, Jesper and the Pea… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the reason the King of the Ants gave for requesting Jesper's assistance in the battle. Exam question 2 of lesson 1785 «Danish Fairy Tales, Jesper and the Pearls, part 36: Jesper helps the ants and is set to sort the grain» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tr
---

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# Exam question 2 · Danish Fairy Tales, Jesper and the Pearls, part 36: Jesper…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the reason the King of the Ants gave for requesting Jesper's assistance in the battle.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, King, Jesper · **What happens:** identify, give, request, assist · **To what, where:** reason, assistance, battle

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1785 «Danish Fairy Tales, Jesper and the Pearls, part 36: Jesper helps the ants and is set to sort the grain» 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/1785-pg641-part36/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1785-pg641-part36:e2:1
# text = Identify the reason the King of the Ants gave for requesting Jesper's assistance in the battle.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Ants	Ant	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
9	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
10	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	requesting	request	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	advcl	_	_
12	Jesper	Jesper	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	assistance	assistance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	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 reason |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **give** | past | the King of the Ants | the reason *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 3 | **request** | gerund | the King of the Ants *not said here* | Jesper's assistance |  | the battle |  |  | vn beg-58.2 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent assistance=Recipient |
| 4 | **assist** |  | Jesper |  |  | the battle |  |  | nom assistance «act transitive»: poss=agent in=place |

<!-- .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 -->
He said the beetles were winning the war and the ants were tired and hungry

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1785-pg641-part36:e2:o1:1
# text = He said the beetles were winning the war and the ants were tired and hungry
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	winning	win	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	war	war	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
12	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **win** | past · progressive | the beetles | the war |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent war=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** | past | the ants |  |  |  |  | tired *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **be** |  | the ants *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He stated the ants were losing and the beetles were too big, and that the king would be blamed if the ants were defeated by the beetles

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1785-pg641-part36:e2:o2:1
# text = He stated the ants were losing and the beetles were too big, and that the king would be blamed if the ants were defeated by the beetles
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stated	state	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	too	too	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
15	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj:pass	_	_
18	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
19	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	20	aux:pass	_	_
20	blamed	blame	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	parataxis	_	_
21	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	nsubj:pass	_	_
24	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	25	aux:pass	_	_
25	defeated	defeat	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	20	advcl	_	_
26	by	by	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **state** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **lose** | past · progressive | the ants |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | the beetles |  |  |  |  | big *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **blame** | would · passive |  | the king |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 5 | **defeat** *a condition, not said to happen* | past · passive | the beetles | the ants |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He stated the ants were losing and the beetles were too big

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1785-pg641-part36:e2:o3:1
# text = He stated the ants were losing and the beetles were too big
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stated	state	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
10	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	too	too	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **state** *speech: other* | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **lose** | past · progressive | the ants |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | past | the beetles |  |  |  |  | big *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He said the ants were losing ground and the beetles' army was too big

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1785-pg641-part36:e2:o4:1
# text = He said the ants were losing ground and the beetles' army was too big
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ants	ant	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
7	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	beetles	beetle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	'	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	too	too	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **lose** | past · progressive | the ants | ground |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ground=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** | past | the beetles's army |  |  |  |  | big *property* | tree rules |

<!-- 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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- ↑ back to [Danish Fairy Tales, Jesper and the Pearls, part 36: Jesper helps the ants and is set to sort the grain](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1785-pg641-part36/)