---
title: Which of the following correctly describes the sequence in which the… — English Fairy Tales, The Fish and the… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following correctly describes the sequence in which the magpie instructed the birds to construct their nests? Exam question 4 of lesson 1971 «English Fairy Tales, The Fish and the Ring: a baron tries to drown the girl he has fated for his son, and a ring saves her» of the books course o
---

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# Exam question 4 · English Fairy Tales, The Fish and the Ring: a baron tries…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following correctly describes the sequence in which the magpie instructed the birds to construct their nests?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** magpie · **What happens:** follow, describe, instruct, construct · **To what, where:** sequence, birds, nests

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 1971 «English Fairy Tales, The Fish and the Ring: a baron tries to drown the girl he has fated for his son, and a ring saves her» 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/1971-pg7439-part30/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1971-pg7439-part30:e4:1
# text = Which of the following correctly describes the sequence in which the magpie instructed the birds to construct their nests?
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	correctly	correctly	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sequence	sequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	obl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	magpie	magpie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	instructed	instruct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	construct	construct	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
18	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	nests	nest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	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 |  | the sequence |  |  |  | correctly *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent sequence=Theme |
| 3 | **instruct** *speech: other* | past | the magpie | the birds |  | the sequence |  |  | vn advise-37.9-1 «NP V NP how S\_INF»: agent=Agent bird=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 4 | **construct** | to-infinitive | the magpie *not said here* | birds's nests |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nest=Result |

<!-- .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 -->
Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers, then wool and grass

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1971-pg7439-part30:e4:o1:1
# text = Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers, then wool and grass
1	Mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
4	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
14	outer	outer	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	18	advmod	_	_
18	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	21	advmod	_	_
21	wool	wool	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
22	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
23	grass	grass	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers, then a lining of moss

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1971-pg7439-part30:e4:o2:1
# text = Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers, then a lining of moss
1	Mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
4	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
14	outer	outer	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	18	advmod	_	_
18	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
20	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	22	advmod	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	lining	lining	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	moss	moss	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mud first, then twigs, then feathers, then more twigs and more mud

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1971-pg7439-part30:e4:o3:1
# text = Mud first, then twigs, then feathers, then more twigs and more mud
1	Mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	5	advmod	_	_
5	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	8	advmod	_	_
8	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	12	amod	_	_
12	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	15	amod	_	_
15	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:1971-pg7439-part30:e4:o4:1
# text = Mud, then twigs, then a further layer of mud, then outer twigs, then feathers
1	Mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
3	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
4	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	9	advmod	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	layer	layer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
13	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	15	advmod	_	_
14	outer	outer	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	twigs	twig	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
17	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	18	advmod	_	_
18	feathers	feather	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

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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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