---
title: By what means did the Giant come to understand the cause of the prol… — Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant: the G… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what means did the Giant come to understand the cause of the prolonged winter in his garden? Exam question 3 of lesson 2035 «Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant: the Giant learns to love, frees the children, and dies under the blossoming tree» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the de
---

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# Exam question 3 · Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant: the Giant learns to love,…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what means did the Giant come to understand the cause of the prolonged winter in his garden?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** mean, do, come, understand, prolong, cause · **To what, where:** cause, prolonged winter · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 2035 «Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant: the Giant learns to love, frees the children, and dies under the blossoming tree» 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/2035-pg902-part5/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2035-pg902-part5:e3:1
# text = By what means did the Giant come to understand the cause of the prolonged winter in his garden?
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Giant	giant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
7	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	prolonged	prolong	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	amod	_	_
15	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | past |  |  |  |  |  | giant *property* | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **come** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  | the cause of the prolonged winter in his garden |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer cause=Stimulus |
| 5 | **prolong** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn sustain-55.6 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **cause** |  |  | the prolonged winter in his garden |  |  |  |  | nom cause «event transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He recognised that his own selfishness was the cause

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2035-pg902-part5:e3:o1:1
# text = He recognised that his own selfishness was the cause
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	recognised	recognise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	selfishness	selfishness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **recognise** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | past | his own selfishness | the cause |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He recognised, after seeing the boy, that his own selfishness and the high wall were the cause

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2035-pg902-part5:e3:o2:1
# text = He recognised, after seeing the boy, that his own selfishness and the high wall were the cause
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	recognised	recognise	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	seeing	see	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	selfishness	selfishness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	high	high	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
17	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **recognise** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **see** | gerund | He *not said here* | the boy |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer boy=Stimulus |
| 3 | **is a** | past | boy's own selfishness and the high wall | the cause |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He learned that the North Wind had caused it all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2035-pg902-part5:e3:o3:1
# text = He learned that the North Wind had caused it all
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	learned	learn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	North	North	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	Wind	Wind	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	caused	cause	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **learn** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **cause** | past · perfect | the North Wind | it |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition it=Patient |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was told by the children who came over the wall that the winter was caused by his selfishness

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2035-pg902-part5:e3:o4:1
# text = He was told by the children who came over the wall that the winter was caused by his selfishness
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	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj:pass	_	_
15	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	caused	cause	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	selfishness	selfishness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past · passive | the children | He |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent subject=Recipient |
| 2 | **come** | past | the children |  |  | the wall |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme over wall=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **cause** | past · passive | his selfishness | the winter |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Causer subject=Theme that=Eventuality |

<!-- 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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