---
title: Which course of action did the Prince adopt upon hearing the mermaid… — Russian Fairy Tales, The Golden Mermai… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which course of action did the Prince adopt upon hearing the mermaid's summons, in accordance with the wolf's instruction? Exam question 1 of lesson 1935 «Russian Fairy Tales, The Golden Mermaid: the Prince catches the mermaid, but his jealous brothers kill him and the wolf brings him back to life» 
---

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# Exam question 1 · Russian Fairy Tales, The Golden Mermaid: the Prince catche…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which course of action did the Prince adopt upon hearing the mermaid's summons, in accordance with the wolf's instruction?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** course, wolf · **What happens:** adopt, hear, instruct · **To what, where:** summons, accordance

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1935 «Russian Fairy Tales, The Golden Mermaid: the Prince catches the mermaid, but his jealous brothers kill him and the wolf brings him back to life» 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/1935-pg7277-part72/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1935-pg7277-part72:e1:1
# text = Which course of action did the Prince adopt upon hearing the mermaid's summons, in accordance with the wolf's instruction?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Prince	Prince	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	adopt	adopt	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	upon	upon	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	hearing	hear	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	mermaid	mermaid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	summons	summon	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	accordance	accordance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
18	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	's	's	PART	POS	_	20	case	_	_
22	instruction	instruction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **adopt** | past · do-support | which course of action |  |  |  |  |  | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **hear** | gerund | which course of action *not said here* | the mermaid's summons |  | accordance with the wolf's instruction |  |  | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer summon=Stimulus |
| 3 | **instruct** |  | the wolf |  |  |  |  |  | nom instruction «communication transitive»: 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 shouted to the mermaid to wait, then turned the boat around and tried to reach the wolf in the water before she could

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1935-pg7277-part72:e1:o1:1
# text = He shouted to the mermaid to wait, then turned the boat around and tried to reach the wolf in the water before she could
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	mermaid	mermaid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	wait	wait	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	around	around	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	reach	reach	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
23	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	25	mark	_	_
24	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
25	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	17	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | He |  | the mermaid |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent to mermaid=Recipient |
| 2 | **wait** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **turn around** | past | He *not said here* | the boat |  |  | then | around *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent boat=Theme |
| 4 | **try** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 5 | **reach** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the wolf |  | the water |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent wolf=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He refused every one of her pleas and kept steering the vessel straight back toward the land as the wolf had instructed

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1935-pg7277-part72:e1:o2:1
# text = He refused every one of her pleas and kept steering the vessel straight back toward the land as the wolf had instructed
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	refused	refuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	pleas	plea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	steering	steer	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	xcomp	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	vessel	vessel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	straight	straight	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	back	back	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
15	toward	toward	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
18	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj:pass	_	_
21	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
22	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **refuse** | past | He | every one of her pleas |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Theme |
| 2 | **keep** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **steer** | gerund | He *not said here* | the vessel |  | the land |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent vessel=Theme toward land=Destination |
| 4 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past · perfect · passive |  | the wolf |  |  |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He disregarded her calls and steered towards the land

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1935-pg7277-part72:e1:o3:1
# text = He disregarded her calls and steered towards the land
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	disregarded	disregard	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	calls	call	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	steered	steer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **disregard** | past | He | her calls |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent call=Theme |
| 2 | **steer** | past | He *not said here* |  |  | the land |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent towards land=Destination |
| 3 | **call** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom call «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He answered her and turned the ship around

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1935-pg7277-part72:e1:o4:1
# text = He answered her and turned the ship around
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	answered	answer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	around	around	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **answer** *speech: assert* | past | He |  | her *= she* |  |  |  | vn reciprocate-112-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent she=Eventuality |
| 2 | **turn around** | past | He *not said here* | the ship |  |  |  | around *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent ship=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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