---
title: Of what material was the bridge over the river constructed, and what… — Tales of Rome, Horatius at the Bridge:… · tree and pragmatics
description: Of what material was the bridge over the river constructed, and what was its principal function within the account? Exam question 2 of lesson 352 «Tales of Rome, Horatius at the Bridge: Horatius holds the bridge alone and saves Rome from Porsena's army» of the books course of Mova's primary school, 
---

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# Exam question 2 · Tales of Rome, Horatius at the Bridge: Horatius holds the…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Of what material was the bridge over the river constructed, and what was its principal function within the account?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** river, bridge · **What happens:** be, construct · **To what, where:** bridge, principal function

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 352 «Tales of Rome, Horatius at the Bridge: Horatius holds the bridge alone and saves Rome from Porsena's army» 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/352-pg18442-part12/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:352-pg18442-part12:e2:1
# text = Of what material was the bridge over the river constructed, and what was its principal function within the account?
1	Of	of	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	6	nsubj	_	_
3	material	material	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	over	over	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	constructed	construct	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	17	nsubj	_	_
14	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	cop	_	_
15	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
16	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	function	function	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
18	within	within	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past |  | the bridge and river's principal function |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **construct** | past | the river |  |  |  |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | past | the bridge and river's principal function | river's principal function |  |  |  | within the account | 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 was built of stone, and it was the meeting place where the citizens gathered to trade

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:352-pg18442-part12:e2:o1:1
# text = It was built of stone, and it was the meeting place where the citizens gathered to trade
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	built	build	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	meeting	meeting	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	_
13	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	16	advmod	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	citizens	citizen	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	gathered	gather	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	trade	trade	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past · passive |  | It |  |  |  | of stone | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |
| 2 | **is a** | past | stone | the meeting place |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **gather** | past | the citizens |  |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 4 | **trade** | to-infinitive | the citizens *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exchange-13.6.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Made of stone, a crossing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:352-pg18442-part12:e2:o2:1
# text = Made of stone, a crossing
1	Made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	stone	stone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	crossing	crossing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | of stone and a crossing | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was constructed of wood, and it was the crossing point which the enemy sought to seize

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:352-pg18442-part12:e2:o3:1
# text = It was constructed of wood, and it was the crossing point which the enemy sought to seize
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	constructed	construct	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	crossing	crossing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	point	point	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	_
13	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	16	obj	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	sought	seek	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	acl:relcl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	seize	seize	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **construct** | past · passive |  | It |  |  |  | of wood | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: subject=Result |
| 2 | **is a** | past | wood | the crossing point |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **seek** | past | the enemy | the crossing point |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **seize** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the enemy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was constructed of brick, and it served as the main gate the enemy wished to burn

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:352-pg18442-part12:e2:o4:1
# text = It was constructed of brick, and it served as the main gate the enemy wished to burn
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	constructed	construct	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	brick	brick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	served	serve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	main	main	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	gate	gate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	enemy	enemy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	wished	wish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	conj	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **construct** | past · passive |  | It |  |  |  | of brick | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: subject=Result |
| 2 | **serve** | past | brick |  |  |  |  | as the main gate | vn masquerade-29.6-2 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Agent as gate=Attribute |
| 3 | **wish** | past | the enemy |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **burn** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the enemy *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «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.

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