---
title: Which of the following best describes the cause of Dick's decision t… — pg18442, Dick Whittington, part 18: Di… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following best describes the cause of Dick's decision to return to the city? Exam question 1 of lesson 358 «pg18442, Dick Whittington, part 18: Dick works in London, buys a cat, sends it to sea, and turns back home» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree 
---

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# Exam question 1 · pg18442, Dick Whittington, part 18: Dick works in London,…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following best describes the cause of Dick's decision to return to the city?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Dick · **What happens:** follow, describe, return, cause, decide · **To what, where:** cause, decision

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 358 «pg18442, Dick Whittington, part 18: Dick works in London, buys a cat, sends it to sea, and turns back home» 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/358-pg18442-part18/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:358-pg18442-part18:e1:1
# text = Which of the following best describes the cause of Dick's decision to return to the city?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	obj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	case	_	_
5	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	nmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	Dick	Dick	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	decision	decision	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	return	return	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl	_	_
15	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | the cause of Dick's decision |  |  |  | of the best | tree rules |
| 3 | **return** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | to the city *result* | vn convert-26.6.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to city=Result |
| 4 | **cause** |  |  | Dick's decision |  |  |  |  | nom cause «event transitive»: of=patient |
| 5 | **decide** |  | Dick |  |  |  |  |  | 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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The chimes of Bow Church were heard by him as an encouragement

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:358-pg18442-part18:e1:o1:1
# text = The chimes of Bow Church were heard by him as an encouragement
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	chimes	chime	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	Bow	Bow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	Church	Church	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	heard	hear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obl	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	encouragement	encouragement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hear** | past · passive | Church | the chimes of Bow Church |  |  |  | as a encouragement | vn see-30.1-1-1 «NP V S»: agent=Experiencer subject=Stimulus |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sound of the bells told him to go back to London

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:358-pg18442-part18:e1:o2:1
# text = The sound of the bells told him to go back to London
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	bells	bell	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nmod	_	_
6	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	iobj	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
10	back	back	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the sound of the bells |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **go back** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | the sound of the bells *not said here* |  | London |  |  |  | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to london=Result |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The cook had forgiven him and had asked him to come back to the kitchen at once

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:358-pg18442-part18:e1:o3:1
# text = The cook had forgiven him and had asked him to come back to the kitchen at once
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	cook	cook	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	forgiven	forgive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	4	conj	_	_
9	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	iobj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
12	back	back	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
16	at	at	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **forgive** | past · perfect · passive |  | the cook |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | past · perfect |  |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP whether S\_INF»: agent=Agent he=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 3 | **come back** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  | the kitchen |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to kitchen=Initial\_Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Hunger drove him back to the warm kitchen in the city

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:358-pg18442-part18:e1:o4:1
# text = Hunger drove him back to the warm kitchen in the city
1	Hunger	hunger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drove	drive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	back	back	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drive back** | past | Hunger | him *= he* |  | the city |  | to the warm kitchen | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent he=Theme to kitchen=Destination in city=Initial\_Location |

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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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