---
title: What prevented Aegeus from giving the goblet to Theseus at once? — A Wonder-Book, The Minotaur, part 4: M… · tree and pragmatics
description: What prevented Aegeus from giving the goblet to Theseus at once? Exam question 4 of lesson 2045 «A Wonder-Book, The Minotaur, part 4: Medea's poisoned wine nearly kills Theseus before his father recognizes him» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of 
---

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# Exam question 4 · A Wonder-Book, The Minotaur, part 4: Medea's poisoned wine…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What prevented Aegeus from giving the goblet to Theseus at once?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** prevent, give · **To what, where:** Aegeus, goblet, Theseus

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 2045 «A Wonder-Book, The Minotaur, part 4: Medea's poisoned wine nearly kills Theseus before his father recognizes him» 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/2045-pg976-part4/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2045-pg976-part4:e4:1
# text = What prevented Aegeus from giving the goblet to Theseus at once?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	2	nsubj	_	_
2	prevented	prevent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Aegeus	Aegeus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	from	from	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	giving	give	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	goblet	goblet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Theseus	Theseus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prevent** | past |  | Aegeus |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer aegeus=Theme |
| 2 | **give** | gerund |  | the goblet | Theseus |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.asset»: agent=Agent goblet=Theme at once=Asset to theseus=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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His son stopped him at the door

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2045-pg976-part4:e4:o1:1
# text = His son stopped him at the door
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	son	son	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | past | His son | him *= he* |  | the door |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector he=Eventuality |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A sudden noise from the courtyard startled him and he paused, staring at the stranger for a long while

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2045-pg976-part4:e4:o2:1
# text = A sudden noise from the courtyard startled him and he paused, staring at the stranger for a long while
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	sudden	sudden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	courtyard	courtyard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	startled	startle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	paused	pause	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	staring	stare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	advcl	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	while	while	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **startle** | past | a sudden noise from the courtyard | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus he=Experiencer |
| 2 | **pause** | past | noise |  |  |  |  |  | vn linger-53.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **stare** | gerund | noise *not said here* |  |  |  | while | at the stranger | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at stranger=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His conscience stirred so strongly that he hesitated and the wine splashed across the floor of the hall

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2045-pg976-part4:e4:o3:1
# text = His conscience stirred so strongly that he hesitated and the wine splashed across the floor of the hall
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	conscience	conscience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stirred	stir	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	so	so	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	strongly	strongly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
6	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	hesitated	hesitate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	wine	wine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	splashed	splash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
13	across	across	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	hall	hall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stir** | past | His conscience |  |  |  |  | strongly *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **hesitate** | past | conscience |  |  |  |  |  | vn linger-53.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **splash** | participle | the wine |  |  | the floor of the hall |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme across floor=Destination |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
His hand trembled and wine slopped over

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:2045-pg976-part4:e4:o4:1
# text = His hand trembled and wine slopped over
1	His	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	hand	hand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	trembled	tremble	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	wine	wine	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	slopped	slop	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	over	over	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tremble** | past | His hand | wine |  |  |  |  | vn modes\_of\_being\_with\_motion-47.3 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location wine=Theme |
| 2 | **slop over** | participle |  | wine *not said here* |  |  |  | over *property* | vn substance\_emission-43.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Source |

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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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