---
title: In what manner does the youngest son respond when his father and mot… — Swahili Tales, The Nunda: the sultan's… · tree and pragmatics
description: In what manner does the youngest son respond when his father and mother beg him to abandon the pursuit? Exam question 3 of lesson 1795 «Swahili Tales, The Nunda: the sultan's cat devours his people, and his youngest son sets out to slay it» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depe
---

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# Exam question 3 · Swahili Tales, The Nunda: the sultan's cat devours his peo…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In what manner does the youngest son respond when his father and mother beg him to abandon the pursuit?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** father · **What happens:** do, beg, abandon · **To what, where:** youngest son respond, manner, him, pursuit

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1795 «Swahili Tales, The Nunda: the sultan's cat devours his people, and his youngest son sets out to slay it» 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/1795-pg641-part46/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1795-pg641-part46:e3:1
# text = In what manner does the youngest son respond when his father and mother beg him to abandon the pursuit?
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	what	what	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	manner	manner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
4	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	youngest	young	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	8	amod	_	_
7	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	respond	respond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
9	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	14	mark	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
14	beg	beg	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
15	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	abandon	abandon	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	advcl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present |  | the youngest son respond |  | what manner |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent respond=Eventuality |
| 2 | **beg** *speech: request* | present | his father and mother |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |
| 3 | **abandon** | to-infinitive | his father and mother *not said here* | the pursuit |  |  |  |  | vn leave-51.2 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme pursuit=Source |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He declines, affirming that he will continue the search each day

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1795-pg641-part46:e3:o1:1
# text = He declines, affirming that he will continue the search each day
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	declines	decline	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	affirming	affirm	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	continue	continue	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	search	search	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decline** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **affirm** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **continue** | future | he | the search |  |  | day |  | vn sustain-55.6 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent search=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He declines, affirming that he will continue the search each day until the beast is slain and the sultan is made to see the truth

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1795-pg641-part46:e3:o2:1
# text = He declines, affirming that he will continue the search each day until the beast is slain and the sultan is made to see the truth
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	declines	decline	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	affirming	affirm	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	continue	continue	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	search	search	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
13	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	beast	beast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
17	slain	slain	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	22	cc	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	sultan	sultan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
21	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux:pass	_	_
22	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	24	mark	_	_
24	see	see	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	xcomp	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decline** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1-1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 2 | **affirm** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **continue** | future | he | the search |  |  | day |  | vn sustain-55.6 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent search=Theme |
| 4 | **is** | present | the beast |  |  |  |  | slain *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **make** | present · passive |  | the sultan |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **see** | to-infinitive | the sultan *not said here* | the truth |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer truth=Stimulus |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He agrees, promising to return home with the cat's head soon

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1795-pg641-part46:e3:o3:1
# text = He agrees, promising to return home with the cat's head soon
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	agrees	agree	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	promising	promise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	return	return	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	home	home	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
13	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **agree** *speech: agree* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **promise** *speech: promise* | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn promise-37.13 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **return** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the cat's head; home, soon *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He refuses, vowing to keep hunting the beast every single day

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1795-pg641-part46:e3:o4:1
# text = He refuses, vowing to keep hunting the beast every single day
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	refuses	refuse	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	vowing	vow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	hunting	hunt	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	xcomp	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	beast	beast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
11	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refuse** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **vow** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **keep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **hunt** | gerund | He *not said here* | the beast |  |  | day |  | vn hunt-35.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent beast=Theme |

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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.

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