---
title: What is the function of the Elder Tree within the narrative as a who… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree… · tree and pragmatics
description: What is the function of the Elder Tree within the narrative as a whole? Exam question 3 of lesson 296 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: the ending, Remembrance flies through the seasons and the old couple wear golden crowns» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depend
---

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# Exam question 3 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: the ending,…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What is the function of the Elder Tree within the narrative as a whole?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** be · **To what, where:** function

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 296 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Elder-Tree Mother: the ending, Remembrance flies through the seasons and the old couple wear golden crowns» 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/296-pg1597-part23/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:296-pg1597-part23:e3:1
# text = What is the function of the Elder Tree within the narrative as a whole?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	function	function	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	Elder	Elder	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	Tree	Tree	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	within	within	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	narrative	narrative	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the function |  |  |  | of the Elder Tree; within the narrative as a whole | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
It gives sweet flowers

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:296-pg1597-part23:e3:o1:1
# text = It gives sweet flowers
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present | It | sweet flowers |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flower=Theme |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is the place from which the story is told and in which the past is remembered

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:296-pg1597-part23:e3:o2:1
# text = It is the place from which the story is told and in which the past is remembered
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	from	from	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	obl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	told	tell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	parataxis	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	17	obl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	past	past	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	remembered	remember	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | the place |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | present · passive |  | the story |  | the place |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: subject=Recipient |
| 3 | **remember** | present · passive |  | the past |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: subject=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It provides the wood for the walking-stick that becomes a horse in the story

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:296-pg1597-part23:e3:o3:1
# text = It provides the wood for the walking-stick that becomes a horse in the story
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	provides	provide	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	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	walking	walking	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	stick	stick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	becomes	become	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	xcomp	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provide** | present | It | the wood |  |  |  | for the walking stick | vn ensure-99 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Precondition wood=Theme for stick=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **become** | present | the walking stick | a horse |  |  |  | in the story *result* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient in story=Result |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is the spot where the boy grows up and goes to coffee land and returns

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:296-pg1597-part23:e3:o4:1
# text = It is the spot where the boy grows up and goes to coffee land and returns
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	spot	spot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	8	advmod	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	grows	grow	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
12	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	coffee	coffee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	compound	_	_
14	land	land	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	returns	return	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | the spot |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **grow up** | present | the boy |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **go** | present | the boy *not said here* |  |  | coffee land |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to land=Initial\_Location |
| 4 | **return** | present | the boy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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