---
title: Which of the following most accurately describes the means by which… — English Fairy Tales, The Master and Hi… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following most accurately describes the means by which the apprentice summoned the demon? Exam question 1 of lesson 1953 «English Fairy Tales, The Master and His Pupil: a curious lad calls up a demon and nearly drowns in water» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depe
---

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# Exam question 1 · English Fairy Tales, The Master and His Pupil: a curious l…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following most accurately describes the means by which the apprentice summoned the demon?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** the, apprentice · **What happens:** follow, describe, mean, summon · **To what, where:** demon · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 1953 «English Fairy Tales, The Master and His Pupil: a curious lad calls up a demon and nearly drowns in water» 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/1953-pg7439-part12/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1953-pg7439-part12:e1:1
# text = Which of the following most accurately describes the means by which the apprentice summoned the demon?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	6	advmod	_	_
6	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	nsubj	_	_
9	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	ccomp	_	_
10	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	obl	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	apprentice	apprentice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	summoned	summon	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	demon	demon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	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 |  |  |  |  |  | accurately *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **summon** | past | the apprentice |  | the demon |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent demon=Recipient |

<!-- .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 -->
By pouring a mixture of herbs and blood into a copper bowl while chanting the master's name

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1953-pg7439-part12:e1:o1:1
# text = By pouring a mixture of herbs and blood into a copper bowl while chanting the master's name
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	pouring	pour	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	mixture	mixture	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	herbs	herb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	blood	blood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	into	into	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	copper	copper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	bowl	bowl	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
13	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
14	chanting	chant	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	master	master	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pour** | gerund |  | a mixture of herbs and blood |  | a copper bowl |  |  | vn pour-9.5 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent mixture=Theme into bowl=Destination |
| 2 | **chant** | gerund |  | the master's name |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent name=Topic |
| 3 | **name** |  | the master |  |  |  |  |  | nom name «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By kneeling before the mirror and whispering a prayer from the old family Bible in the cellar

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1953-pg7439-part12:e1:o2:1
# text = By kneeling before the mirror and whispering a prayer from the old family Bible in the cellar
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	kneeling	kneel	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	before	before	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	mirror	mirror	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	whispering	whisper	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	prayer	prayer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
14	Bible	Bible	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	appos	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	cellar	cellar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **kneel** | gerund |  |  |  | the mirror |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent before mirror=Location |
| 2 | **whisper** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | a prayer |  | the old family |  | in the cellar | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent prayer=Topic |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By reading aloud a line from the black book

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1953-pg7439-part12:e1:o3:1
# text = By reading aloud a line from the black book
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	reading	read	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	aloud	aloud	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | gerund |  | a line |  | the black book |  | aloud *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent line=Topic from book=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By singing a hymn beside the open window

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1953-pg7439-part12:e1:o4:1
# text = By singing a hymn beside the open window
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	hymn	hymn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	beside	beside	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	open	open	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* | gerund |  | a hymn |  | the open window |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location hymn=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.

<!-- /div -->

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