---
title: State the reason the eldest brother gave for abandoning his quest fo… — pg7277, The Golden Blackbird, part 2:… · tree and pragmatics
description: State the reason the eldest brother gave for abandoning his quest for the Golden Blackbird at the inn. Exam question 3 of lesson 1897 «pg7277, The Golden Blackbird, part 2: the stolen palace returns home, and the youngest son meets the hare and the Porcelain Maiden» of the books course of Mova's pri
---

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# Exam question 3 · pg7277, The Golden Blackbird, part 2: the stolen palace re…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
State the reason the eldest brother gave for abandoning his quest for the Golden Blackbird at the inn.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** State reason, brother · **What happens:** give, abandon, quest · **To what, where:** quest, inn

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 1897 «pg7277, The Golden Blackbird, part 2: the stolen palace returns home, and the youngest son meets the hare and the Porcelain Maiden» 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/1897-pg7277-part34/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1897-pg7277-part34:e3:1
# text = State the reason the eldest brother gave for abandoning his quest for the Golden Blackbird at the inn.
1	State	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	eldest	eld	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	amod	_	_
6	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	abandoning	abandon	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	quest	quest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	for	for	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	Golden	golden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	Blackbird	Blackbird	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
16	at	at	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	inn	inn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the State reason |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **abandon** | gerund | the State reason *not said here* | brother's quest |  | the inn |  | for the Golden Blackbird | vn leave-51.2 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme quest=Source |
| 3 | **quest** |  | brother |  |  |  |  |  | nom quest «cognition intransitive»: 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He said the whole quest was a waste of time since his father was elderly, and he would inherit all the goods anyway, once the old man was gone and buried

<!-- fold The tree, 31 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1897-pg7277-part34:e3:o1:1
# text = He said the whole quest was a waste of time since his father was elderly, and he would inherit all the goods anyway, once the old man was gone and buried
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	5	det	_	_
4	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	quest	quest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	waste	waste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
15	elderly	elderly	ADV	RB	_	2	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
18	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
19	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	20	aux	_	_
20	inherit	inherit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
21	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	23	det:predet	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	goods	goods	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	20	obj	_	_
24	anyway	anyway	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	31	punct	_	_
26	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	31	mark	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	29	det	_	_
28	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	amod	_	_
29	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	31	nsubj	_	_
30	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	31	cop	_	_
31	gone	gone	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	advcl	_	_
32	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	33	cc	_	_
33	buried	bury	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	31	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 |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the whole quest | a waste |  |  | time |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | past | his father |  |  |  |  | elderly *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **inherit** | would | he | all goods |  |  |  | anyway *property* | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent goods=Theme |
| 5 | **is** | past | the old man |  |  |  |  | gone *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **bury** | participle | the old man *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He reasoned that his father was elderly and that he would inherit his goods

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1897-pg7277-part34:e3:o2:1
# text = He reasoned that his father was elderly and that he would inherit his goods
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	reasoned	reason	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	elderly	elderly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	inherit	inherit	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	goods	goods	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	12	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reason** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | his father |  |  |  |  | elderly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **inherit** | would | he | his goods |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent goods=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He reasoned that the father was old and soon would die, leaving him everything, so there was no need to keep searching for the bird

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1897-pg7277-part34:e3:o3:1
# text = He reasoned that the father was old and soon would die, leaving him everything, so there was no need to keep searching for the bird
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	reasoned	reason	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	_
10	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	die	die	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	leaving	leave	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	everything	everything	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	so	so	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
18	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	19	expl	_	_
19	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
20	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	21	det	_	_
21	need	need	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
22	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
23	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	acl	_	_
24	searching	search	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	23	xcomp	_	_
25	for	for	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **reason** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the father |  |  |  |  | old *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **die** | would | the father *not said here* |  |  |  |  | soon *property* | vn calibratable\_cos-45.6.1 «NP.attribute V»: agent=Attribute |
| 4 | **leave** | gerund | the father *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn sustain-55.6-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Agent he=Theme everything=Attribute |
| 5 | **be** | past | no need |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **keep** | to-infinitive | no need *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 7 | **search** | gerund | no need *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for the bird | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.theme NP.location»: agent=Agent for bird=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He figured the search would cost more than his father's whole estate

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1897-pg7277-part34:e3:o4:1
# text = He figured the search would cost more than his father's whole estate
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	figured	figure	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	search	search	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	cost	cost	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
7	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	obj	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	estate	estate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **figure** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **cost** | would | the search | more |  |  |  |  | vn cost-54.2 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Theme more=Value |

<!-- 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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