---
title: By what means was the youngest brother's situation characterised? — Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: P… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what means was the youngest brother's situation characterised? Exam question 2 of lesson 1902 «Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: Peter's swan catches a crowd and the Princess laughs at last» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question a
---

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# Exam question 2 · Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: Peter's swan catches…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what means was the youngest brother's situation characterised?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** situation · **What happens:** be, mean, characteris

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1902 «Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: Peter's swan catches a crowd and the Princess laughs at last» 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/1902-pg7277-part39/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1902-pg7277-part39:e2:1
# text = By what means was the youngest brother's situation characterised?
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	youngest	young	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	situation	situation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
10	characterised	characteris	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the youngest brother's situation |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **characteris** | participle | the youngest brother's situation *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 was left alone in the wood, the object of ill-treatment by his elder brothers and his father.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1902-pg7277-part39:e2:o1:1
# text = He was left alone in the wood, the object of ill-treatment by his elder brothers and his father.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	alone	alone	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	xcomp	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	appos	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	treatment	treatment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
15	by	by	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
17	elder	elder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	_
18	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
19	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
20	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past · passive | his elder brothers and his father | He |  | the wood |  | alone *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent subject=Theme in wood=Location |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was the object of ill-treatment by his elder brothers

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1902-pg7277-part39:e2:o2:1
# text = He was the object of ill-treatment by his elder brothers
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	treatment	treatment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	elder	elder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | the object |  |  |  | of ill treatment; by his elder brothers | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was the favourite of his elder brothers.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1902-pg7277-part39:e2:o3:1
# text = He was the favourite of his elder brothers.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	favourite	favourite	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
7	elder	elder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | the favourite |  |  |  | of his elder brothers | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was the constant object of cruel ill-treatment by both of his elder brothers at home.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1902-pg7277-part39:e2:o4:1
# text = He was the constant object of cruel ill-treatment by both of his elder brothers at home.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	constant	constant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	object	object	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	cruel	cruel	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
8	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	treatment	treatment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	nmod	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
15	elder	elder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	brothers	brother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nmod	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | He | the constant object |  |  |  | of cruel ill treatment; by both | 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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- ← previous: [Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: P…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1902-pg7277-part39/e1/)
- next →: [Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: P…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1902-pg7277-part39/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Fairy Tales, The Magic Swan, part 1: Peter's swan catches a crowd and the Princess laughs at last](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/1902-pg7277-part39/)