---
title: To what extent does the wife's ambition escalate across the successi… — Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman… · tree and pragmatics
description: To what extent does the wife's ambition escalate across the successive wishes, and what is the final dignity she desires? Exam question 2 of lesson 1937 «Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman and His Wife, part 1: a greedy wife keeps asking the flounder for more» of the books course of Mova's prima
---

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# Exam question 2 · Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman and His Wife, part…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To what extent does the wife's ambition escalate across the successive wishes, and what is the final dignity she desires?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** ambition, wife · **What happens:** escalate, be, desire, ambition · **To what, where:** successive wishes, final dignity

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 1937 «Grimm's Household Tales, The Fisherman and His Wife, part 1: a greedy wife keeps asking the flounder for more» 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/1937-pg7277-part74/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1937-pg7277-part74:e2:1
# text = To what extent does the wife's ambition escalate across the successive wishes, and what is the final dignity she desires?
1	To	to	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	9	obl	_	_
3	extent	extent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	ambition	ambition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	escalate	escalate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
10	across	across	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	successive	successive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	wishes	wish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	20	cc	_	_
16	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	20	nsubj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	dignity	dignity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
21	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
22	desires	desire	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **escalate** | present · do-support | the wife's ambition |  |  | the successive wishes |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | the final dignity |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **desire** | present | ambition | the final dignity *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot dignity=Theme |
| 4 | **ambition** |  | the wife |  |  |  |  |  | nom ambition «feeling 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It escalates from a humble cottage to a great stone castle, then to a kingdom, and finally she desires to become king of all the land.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1937-pg7277-part74:e2:o1:1
# text = It escalates from a humble cottage to a great stone castle, then to a kingdom, and finally she desires to become king of all the land.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	escalates	escalate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	humble	humble	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cottage	cottage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
9	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
10	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	16	advmod	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	kingdom	kingdom	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
19	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
20	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	desires	desire	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
22	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
23	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	xcomp	_	_
24	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	xcomp	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
26	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	28	det:predet	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **escalate** | present | It |  |  | a humble cottage |  | to a great stone castle and a kingdom | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **desire** | present | she |  |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **become** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | she *not said here* | king of all land |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Starting with only a small cottage she wanted, her ambition climbed higher and higher through castles and palaces until she demanded to be made king and ruler of the whole wide sea.

<!-- fold The tree, 32 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1937-pg7277-part74:e2:o2:1
# text = Starting with only a small cottage she wanted, her ambition climbed higher and higher through castles and palaces until she demanded to be made king and ruler of the whole wide sea.
1	Starting	start	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
2	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	cottage	cottage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
7	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	ambition	ambition	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	climbed	climb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
13	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	xcomp	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	higher	high	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	13	conj	_	_
16	through	through	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	castles	castle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	palaces	palace	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	conj	_	_
20	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	22	mark	_	_
21	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	22	nsubj	_	_
22	demanded	demand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	advcl	_	_
23	to	to	PART	TO	_	25	mark	_	_
24	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	25	aux:pass	_	_
25	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	22	ccomp	_	_
26	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obj	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
28	ruler	ruler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	conj	_	_
29	of	of	ADP	IN	_	33	case	_	_
30	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	33	det	_	_
31	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	33	amod	_	_
32	wide	wide	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	33	amod	_	_
33	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
34	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | gerund | her ambition *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a small cottage | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V PP.subeventuality»: agent=Eventuality with cottage=Subeventuality |
| 2 | **want** | past | she | a small cottage *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot cottage=Theme |
| 3 | **climb** | past | her ambition |  |  | castles and palaces |  | high *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through castle=Trajectory |
| 4 | **demand** *speech: request* | past | ambition |  |  |  |  |  | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Precondition |
| 5 | **make** | to-infinitive · passive |  | king of the whole wide sea and ruler |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: king=Product |
| 6 | **ambition** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom ambition «feeling intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It rises from a small house to a great castle, and last she wants a crown.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1937-pg7277-part74:e2:o3:1
# text = It rises from a small house to a great castle, and last she wants a crown.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	rises	rise	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
14	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	crown	crown	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | present | It |  |  | a small house |  | to a great castle | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Theme from house=Initial\_Location to castle=Destination |
| 2 | **want** | present | she | a crown |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot crown=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It escalates from a cottage to a castle, and finally she desires to become king.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1937-pg7277-part74:e2:o4:1
# text = It escalates from a cottage to a castle, and finally she desires to become king.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	escalates	escalate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	cottage	cottage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
11	finally	finally	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
12	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	desires	desire	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	become	become	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
16	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **escalate** | present | It |  |  | a cottage |  | to a castle | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **desire** | present | she |  |  |  |  | finally *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **become** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | she *not said here* | king |  |  |  |  | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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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