---
title: In the fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow, what was the princi… — Aesop's Fables, The Gamecocks and the… · tree and pragmatics
description: In the fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow, what was the principal cause of the young man's distress when the frost returned? Exam question 4 of lesson 401 «Aesop's Fables, The Gamecocks and the Partridge: a stranger bird learns that the cocks fight each other too» of the books course of Mova's
---

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# Exam question 4 · Aesop's Fables, The Gamecocks and the Partridge: a strange…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow, what was the principal cause of the young man's distress when the frost returned?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Spendthrift, frost, young man · **What happens:** be, return, distress · **To what, where:** principal cause, fable

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 401 «Aesop's Fables, The Gamecocks and the Partridge: a stranger bird learns that the cocks fight each other too» 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/401-pg21-part22/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:401-pg21-part22:e4:1
# text = In the fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow, what was the principal cause of the young man's distress when the frost returned?
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	fable	fable	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Spendthrift	spendthrift	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	Swallow	Swallow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	nsubj	_	_
12	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
18	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
19	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	's	PART	POS	_	19	case	_	_
21	distress	distress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	_
22	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	25	advmod	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	frost	frost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj	_	_
25	returned	return	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	25	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the Spendthrift and the Swallow and the principal cause | the principal cause |  |  |  | of the young man's distress | tree rules |
| 2 | **return** | participle | the frost |  |  | the fable of the Spendthrift and the Swallow and the principal cause |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **distress** |  | the young man |  |  |  |  |  | nom distress «feeling 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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had gambled away his one good cloak on a foolish dice bet

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:401-pg21-part22:e4:o1:1
# text = He had gambled away his one good cloak on a foolish dice bet
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	gambled	gamble	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
6	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
7	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	cloak	cloak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	foolish	foolish	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	dice	dice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	bet	bet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **gamble away** | past · perfect | He | his one good cloak |  | a foolish dice bet |  | away *property* | vn risk-94 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cloak=Pivot |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived and he could feast on swallows

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:401-pg21-part22:e4:o2:1
# text = He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived and he could feast on swallows
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cloak	cloak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	mistaken	mistaken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	belief	belief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
18	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
19	feast	feast	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
20	on	on	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	swallows	swallow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past · perfect | He | his one good cloak |  | the mistaken belief |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.asset»: agent=Agent cloak=Theme on belief=Asset |
| 2 | **arrive** | past · perfect · passive |  | the mistaken belief |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **feast** | could | he |  |  |  |  | on swallows | vn dine-39.5 «NP V PP.patient»: agent=Agent on swallow=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived early and stayed

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:401-pg21-part22:e4:o3:1
# text = He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived early and stayed
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cloak	cloak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	mistaken	mistaken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	belief	belief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
16	early	early	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	15	advmod	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past · perfect | He | his one good cloak |  | the mistaken belief |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.asset»: agent=Agent cloak=Theme on belief=Asset |
| 2 | **arrive** | past · perfect · passive |  | the mistaken belief |  |  |  | early *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **stay** | past | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:401-pg21-part22:e4:o4:1
# text = He had sold his one good cloak on the mistaken belief that summer had arrived
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	sold	sell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
6	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cloak	cloak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	mistaken	mistaken	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	belief	belief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	arrived	arrive	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sell** | past · perfect | He | his one good cloak |  | the mistaken belief |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient PP.asset»: agent=Agent cloak=Theme on belief=Asset |
| 2 | **arrive** | past · perfect · passive |  | the mistaken belief |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**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 Gamecocks and the…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/401-pg21-part22/e3/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Eagle and the Fox:…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/402-pg21-part23/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Gamecocks and the Partridge: a stranger bird learns that the cocks fight each other too](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/401-pg21-part22/)