---
title: Which reason does the Cat give for seizing the Cock in the tale? — Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which reason does the Cat give for seizing the Cock in the tale? Exam question 1 of lesson 386 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and
---

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# Exam question 1 · Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an exc…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which reason does the Cat give for seizing the Cock in the tale?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** reason · **What happens:** give, seize · **To what, where:** Cock, tale

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 386 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake» 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/386-pg21-part7/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:e1:1
# text = Which reason does the Cat give for seizing the Cock in the tale?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:outer	_	_
3	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	give	give	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	seizing	seize	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Cock	Cock	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present · do-support | which reason |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **seize** | gerund | which reason *not said here* | the Cock |  | the tale |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cock=Theme |

<!-- .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 says the Cock disturbs the sleep of men, and also he wants to eat the Cock for his supper

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:e1:o1:1
# text = He says the Cock disturbs the sleep of men, and also he wants to eat the Cock for his supper
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	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	disturbs	disturb	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sleep	sleep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	also	also	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
13	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
14	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	eat	eat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	xcomp	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	Cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	for	for	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	supper	supper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .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 clause=Topic |
| 2 | **disturb** | present | the Cock | the sleep of men |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus sleep=Experiencer |
| 3 | **want** | present | Cock |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 4 | **eat** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Cock *not said here* | the Cock |  |  |  | for Cock's supper | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cock=Patient |
| 5 | **sleep** |  | men |  |  |  |  |  | nom sleep «state intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He says the Cock is an annoying thief

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:e1:o2:1
# text = He says the Cock is an annoying thief
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	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	annoying	annoying	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	thief	thief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .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 | the Cock | a annoying thief |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He insists the Cock steals the farmer's grain

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:e1:o3:1
# text = He insists the Cock steals the farmer's grain
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	Cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	steals	steal	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	grain	grain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .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 | **steal** | present | the Cock | the farmer's grain |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location grain=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He claims the Cock disturbs the sleep of men

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:386-pg21-part7:e1:o4:1
# text = He claims the Cock disturbs the sleep of men
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	claims	claim	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	Cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	disturbs	disturb	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sleep	sleep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **claim** *speech: other* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **disturb** | present | the Cock | the sleep of men |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus sleep=Experiencer |
| 3 | **sleep** |  | men |  |  |  |  |  | nom sleep «state intransitive»: of=agent |

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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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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/t11/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock:…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Cock: a cat invents an excuse to eat a cock, and a wolf in sheep's clothing is killed by mistake](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/386-pg21-part7/)