---
title: Which action did Saouy perform upon the formula at the head of the l… — Arabian Nights, Noureddin Ali and the… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which action did Saouy perform upon the formula at the head of the letter, and with what consequence for the king's decision? Exam question 1 of lesson 210 «Arabian Nights, Noureddin Ali and the Fair Persian: Saouy's plot nearly kills Noureddin, but the vizir arrives in time» of the books course of 
---

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# Exam question 1 · Arabian Nights, Noureddin Ali and the Fair Persian: Saouy'…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which action did Saouy perform upon the formula at the head of the letter, and with what consequence for the king's decision?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** action, king · **What happens:** perform, decide · **To what, where:** head

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 210 «Arabian Nights, Noureddin Ali and the Fair Persian: Saouy's plot nearly kills Noureddin, but the vizir arrives in time» 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/210-pg128-part50/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:210-pg128-part50:e1:1
# text = Which action did Saouy perform upon the formula at the head of the letter, and with what consequence for the king's decision?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	Saouy	Saouy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	perform	perform	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	formula	formula	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	with	with	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	what	what	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	19	det	_	_
19	consequence	consequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
20	for	for	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	's	's	PART	POS	_	22	case	_	_
24	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **perform** | past · do-support | which action |  |  | the head of the letter |  | upon the formula; with what consequence for the king's decision | vn performance-26.7 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **decide** |  | the king |  |  |  |  |  | nom decision «act transitive»: 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 -->
He burned it and hid the ashes, so the king kept the letter valid

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:210-pg128-part50:e1:o1:1
# text = He burned it and hid the ashes, so the king kept the letter valid
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	burned	burn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ashes	ash	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	valid	valid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **burn** | past | He | it |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **hide** | past | He *not said here* | the ashes |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ash=Patient |
| 3 | **keep** | past | the king | the letter |  |  |  | valid *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He tore the formula off, swallowed it whole in front of the court, and the king declared the whole letter useless and void

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:210-pg128-part50:e1:o2:1
# text = He tore the formula off, swallowed it whole in front of the court, and the king declared the whole letter useless and void
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tore	tore	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	formula	formula	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	swallowed	swallow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
19	declared	declare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
23	useless	useless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	xcomp	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
25	void	void	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tore off** | past | He | the formula |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swallow** | past | He *not said here* | formula |  |  |  | whole *property* | vn gobble-39.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 3 | **declare** *speech: other* | past | the king | the whole letter |  |  |  | useless *property* | vn declare-29.4-1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Attribute |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He tore it off and swallowed it, so that the king judged the letter void

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:210-pg128-part50:e1:o3:1
# text = He tore it off and swallowed it, so that the king judged the letter void
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tore	tore	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	off	off	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	swallowed	swallow	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	13	mark	_	_
10	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	fixed	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	judged	judge	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	void	void	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tore off** | past | He | it |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **swallow** | past | He *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn gobble-39.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 3 | **judge** | past | the king | the letter void |  |  |  |  | vn estimate-34.2-1-1 «NP V NP.value»: agent=Agent void=Value |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He hid it in his sleeve, so the king ruled the letter was a forgery

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:210-pg128-part50:e1:o4:1
# text = He hid it in his sleeve, so the king ruled the letter was a forgery
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	sleeve	sleeve	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	king	king	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	ruled	rule	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	parataxis	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	forgery	forgery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | past | He | it |  | his sleeve |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent it=Patient in sleeve=Location |
| 2 | **rule** | past | the king | the letter |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent letter=Theme |
| 3 | **is a** | past |  | a forgery |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- 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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