---
title: Identify the reason the Widow's maidens resolved to kill the cock, a… — Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Birds:… · tree and pragmatics
description: Identify the reason the Widow's maidens resolved to kill the cock, and the consequence of their act. Exam question 4 of lesson 388 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Birds: a cat posing as a doctor is sent packing» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics o
---

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# Exam question 4 · Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Birds: a cat posing as a d…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Identify the reason the Widow's maidens resolved to kill the cock, and the consequence of their act.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, maidens · **What happens:** identify, resolve, kill, act · **To what, where:** reason, cock

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 388 «Aesop's Fables, The Cat and the Birds: a cat posing as a doctor is sent packing» 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/388-pg21-part9/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:388-pg21-part9:e4:1
# text = Identify the reason the Widow's maidens resolved to kill the cock, and the consequence of their act.
1	Identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Widow	Widow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	maidens	maiden	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	resolved	resolve	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	kill	kill	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	cock	cock	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	consequence	consequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	act	act	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the reason |  |  |  | the consequence of maidens's act *obl* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reason=Theme |
| 2 | **resolve** | past | the Widow's maidens | the reason *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **kill** | to-infinitive | the Widow's maidens *not said here* | the cock |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cock=Theme |
| 4 | **act** |  | maidens *= maiden* |  |  |  |  |  | nom act «communication intransitive»: 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 -->
They resented early waking, and the Widow then woke them at midnight

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:388-pg21-part9:e4:o1:1
# text = They resented early waking, and the Widow then woke them at midnight
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	resented	resent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	4	advmod	_	_
4	waking	wake	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Widow	Widow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
9	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
10	woke	wake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	midnight	midnight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **resent** | past | They |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **wake** | gerund | They *not said here* |  |  |  |  | early *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **wake** | past | the Widow | them *= they* |  |  | then; midnight |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent they=Patient |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They wished to sleep until noon, and so the Widow locked the door and woke them at midnight with a loud bell and a lamp

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:388-pg21-part9:e4:o2:1
# text = They wished to sleep until noon, and so the Widow locked the door and woke them at midnight with a loud bell and a lamp
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wished	wish	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	sleep	sleep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	until	until	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	noon	noon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Widow	Widow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	locked	lock	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	woke	wake	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
17	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obj	_	_
18	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	midnight	midnight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
20	with	with	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
21	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
22	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	23	amod	_	_
23	bell	bell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
24	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	26	cc	_	_
25	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	lamp	lamp	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wish** | past | They |  |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V for NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **sleep** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | They *not said here* |  |  |  | noon |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **lock** | past | the Widow | the door |  |  |  |  | vn tape-22.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent door=Patient |
| 4 | **wake** | past | They *not said here* | them *= they* |  |  | midnight | with a loud bell and a lamp | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent they=Patient with bell=Instrument |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They feared the Widow's temper, so she stayed up all night

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:388-pg21-part9:e4:o3:1
# text = They feared the Widow's temper, so she stayed up all night
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feared	fear	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Widow	Widow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	temper	temper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	_
12	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	det	_	_
13	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fear** | past | They | the Widow's temper |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer temper=Stimulus |
| 2 | **stay up** | past | Widow |  |  |  | night |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **temper** |  | the Widow |  |  |  |  |  | nom temper «feeling transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
They hated the rooster's noise, and the Widow then sent them away

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:388-pg21-part9:e4:o4:1
# text = They hated the rooster's noise, and the Widow then sent them away
1	They	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hated	hate	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	rooster	rooster	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Widow	Widow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	12	advmod	_	_
12	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	away	away	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hate** | past | They | the rooster's noise |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer noise=Stimulus |
| 2 | **send away** | past | the Widow | them *= they* |  |  | then | away *property* | vn fire-10.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 3 | **noise** |  | the rooster |  |  |  |  |  | nom noise «event intransitive»: poss=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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