---
title: Which of the following best describes the means by which John overca… — Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following best describes the means by which John overcame the goblins in the chamber? Exam question 1 of lesson 1899 «Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part 36: John rescues Ludovine from the goblins, sleeps through his chances, and is carried off to the Low Countries.» of the books cour
---

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# Exam question 1 · Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part 36: John rescues Lud…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following best describes the means by which John overcame the goblins in the chamber?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** the, John · **What happens:** follow, describe, mean, overcome · **To what, where:** goblins · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is exam question 1 of lesson 1899 «Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part 36: John rescues Ludovine from the goblins, sleeps through his chances, and is carried off to the Low Countries.» 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/1899-pg7277-part36/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1899-pg7277-part36:e1:1
# text = Which of the following best describes the means by which John overcame the goblins in the chamber?
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	0	root	_	_
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	6	ccomp	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obl	_	_
11	John	John	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	overcame	overcome	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	ccomp	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	goblins	goblin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	chamber	chamber	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	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 |  |  |  |  |  | of the best | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent which=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 3 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **overcome** | past | John | the goblins |  |  |  | in the chamber | vn exceed-90 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot goblin=Theme in chamber=Attribute |

<!-- .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 -->
He wrenched a great iron gate from the wall and trapped them under it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1899-pg7277-part36:e1:o1:1
# text = He wrenched a great iron gate from the wall and trapped them under it
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wrenched	wrench	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	iron	iron	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	trapped	trap	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	under	under	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wrench** | past | He | a great iron gate |  | the wall |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Agent gate=Theme from wall=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **trap** | participle | He *not said here* | them *= they* |  | wall |  |  | vn pocket-9.10 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent they=Theme under it=Destination |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He dragged a massive stone slab over them to crush them flat

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1899-pg7277-part36:e1:o2:1
# text = He dragged a massive stone slab over them to crush them flat
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	dragged	drag	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	massive	massive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	slab	slab	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	over	over	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	crush	crush	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	flat	flat	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drag** | past | He | a massive stone slab |  |  |  | over them *= they* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent slab=Theme |
| 2 | **crush** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  |  | flat *property* | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He detached a heavy oaken door from its hinges and crushed them beneath it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1899-pg7277-part36:e1:o3:1
# text = He detached a heavy oaken door from its hinges and crushed them beneath it
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	detached	detach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	oaken	oaken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	hinges	hinge	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	crushed	crush	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detach** | past | He | a heavy oaken door |  |  |  | from door's hinges | vn disassemble-23.3 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent door=Patient from hinge=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **crush** | past | He *not said here* | hinges *= hinge* |  |  |  | beneath door | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He fought them with his bare hands

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1899-pg7277-part36:e1:o4:1
# text = He fought them with his bare hands
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	fought	fight	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	with	with	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	bare	bare	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fight** | past | He | them *= they* |  |  |  | with his bare hands | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Co-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.

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- ← previous: [Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part…, test 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1899-pg7277-part36/t13/)
- next →: [Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1899-pg7277-part36/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Fairy Tales, The Little Soldier, part 36: John rescues Ludovine from the goblins, sleeps through his chances, and is carried off to the Low Countries.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1899-pg7277-part36/)