---
title: Which of the following best describes the means by which the princes… — pg641, Iliane and Sunlight, part 59: t… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following best describes the means by which the princess secured the emperor's stud of mares? Exam question 1 of lesson 1808 «pg641, Iliane and Sunlight, part 59: the princess steals the emperor's stud of mares» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and 
---

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# Exam question 1 · pg641, Iliane and Sunlight, part 59: the princess steals t…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following best describes the means by which the princess secured the emperor's stud of mares?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** the, princess · **What happens:** follow, describe, mean, secure · **To what, where:** stud · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1808 «pg641, Iliane and Sunlight, part 59: the princess steals the emperor's stud of mares» 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/1808-pg641-part59/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1808-pg641-part59:e1:1
# text = Which of the following best describes the means by which the princess secured the emperor's stud of mares?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	obj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	case	_	_
5	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	nmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	nsubj	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	obl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	secured	secure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	emperor	emperor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	's	's	PART	POS	_	15	case	_	_
17	stud	stud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	mares	mare	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | present | the *not said here* |  |  |  |  | of the best | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent which=Theme |
| 3 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **secure** | past | the princess | the emperor's stud of mares |  |  |  |  | vn ensure-99 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition stud=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
She obtained them by stratagem and brute force after the genius had been slain in a long, bloody fight across the plains

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1808-pg641-part59:e1:o1:1
# text = She obtained them by stratagem and brute force after the genius had been slain in a long, bloody fight across the plains
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	obtained	obtain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	stratagem	stratagem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	brute	brute	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
9	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	genius	genius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	slain	slay	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
17	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
19	bloody	bloody	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	fight	fight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
21	across	across	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	plains	plain	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	20	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **obtain** | past | She | them *= they* |  |  |  | by stratagem and brute force | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 2 | **slay** | past · perfect · passive |  | the genius |  | a long bloody fight across the plains |  |  | vn murder-42.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She got them by cunning and fighting, once the genius was dead

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1808-pg641-part59:e1:o2:1
# text = She got them by cunning and fighting, once the genius was dead
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	got	get	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	cunning	cunning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	fighting	fighting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	genius	genius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past | She | them *= they* |  |  |  | by cunning and fighting | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer they=Stimulus |
| 2 | **is** | past | the genius |  |  |  |  | dead *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She obtained them by stratagem and force, after the death of the genius and his entire guard at the tower

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1808-pg641-part59:e1:o3:1
# text = She obtained them by stratagem and force, after the death of the genius and his entire guard at the tower
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	obtained	obtain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	stratagem	stratagem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	after	after	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	genius	genius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
17	entire	entire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	18	amod	_	_
18	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
19	at	at	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	tower	tower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **obtain** | past | She | them *= they* |  | the tower | after the death of the genius and his entire guard | by stratagem and force | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 2 | **die** |  | the genius and his entire guard |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She obtained them by stratagem and force, after the death of the genius

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1808-pg641-part59:e1:o4:1
# text = She obtained them by stratagem and force, after the death of the genius
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	obtained	obtain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	stratagem	stratagem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	force	force	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	after	after	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	genius	genius	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **obtain** | past | She | them *= they* |  |  | after the death of the genius | by stratagem and force | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 2 | **die** |  | the genius |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: of=agent |

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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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