---
title: Which description best characterises the closing remark of the littl… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which description best characterises the closing remark of the little boy? Exam question 4 of lesson 295 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: an elder bush grows from a teapot and shows an old couple's golden day» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and 
---

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# Exam question 4 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: an elder bu…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which description best characterises the closing remark of the little boy?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** description · **What happens:** characteris, close, remark · **To what, where:** closing remark, little boy

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 295 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: an elder bush grows from a teapot and shows an old couple's golden day» 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/295-pg1597-part22/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:295-pg1597-part22:e4:1
# text = Which description best characterises the closing remark of the little boy?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	description	description	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	best	well	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	2	advmod	_	_
4	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	closing	close	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	amod	_	_
7	remark	remark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **characteris** | present | which description | the closing remark of the little boy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **close** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **remark** |  |  | the little boy |  |  |  |  | nom remark «communication 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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He admits that the story was a little bit scary and he wants to sleep

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:295-pg1597-part22:e4:o1:1
# text = He admits that the story was a little bit scary and he wants to sleep
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	admits	admit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl:unmarked	_	_
10	scary	scary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	advcl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
13	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	sleep	sleep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admit** *speech: other* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn confess-37.10 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | past | the story |  |  |  |  | a little bit *obl:unmarked*; scary *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **want** | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **sleep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He insists the account was wholly invented

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:295-pg1597-part22:e4:o2:1
# text = He insists the account was wholly invented
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	insists	insist	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
6	wholly	wholly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	invented	invent	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insist** *speech: other* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **invent** | past · passive |  | the account |  |  |  | wholly *property* | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Result |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says it is a fairy tale and asks the old man to tell another one

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:295-pg1597-part22:e4:o3:1
# text = He says it is a fairy tale and asks the old man to tell another one
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
15	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	16	det	_	_
16	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | a fairy tale |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | He *not said here* |  | the old man |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent man=Recipient |
| 4 | **tell** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | another one |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent one=Recipient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He doubts that the account is a fairy tale

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:295-pg1597-part22:e4:o4:1
# text = He doubts that the account is a fairy tale
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	doubts	doubt	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	fairy	fairy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **doubt** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the account | a fairy tale |  |  |  |  | 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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- ← previous: [Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/295-pg1597-part22/e3/)
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