---
title: In the fable of the Man and the Flea, what did the Man resolve to do… — Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver… · tree and pragmatics
description: In the fable of the Man and the Flea, what did the Man resolve to do with the insect? Exam question 4 of lesson 404 «Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver: a bolting ass is hauled back by the tail, and the fables that follow each end with a small lesson.» of the books course of Mova's primary schoo
---

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# Exam question 4 · Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver: a bolting ass is h…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the fable of the Man and the Flea, what did the Man resolve to do with the insect?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Man · **What happens:** resolve, do · **To what, where:** fable

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 404 «Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver: a bolting ass is hauled back by the tail, and the fables that follow each end with a small lesson.» 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/404-pg21-part25/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:404-pg21-part25:e4:1
# text = In the fable of the Man and the Flea, what did the Man resolve to do with the insect?
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	15	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Man	man	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	Flea	Flea	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	15	obj	_	_
12	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	Man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	resolve	resolve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
16	to	to	PART	TO	_	17	mark	_	_
17	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	_
18	with	with	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	insect	insect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **resolve** | past · do-support | the Man |  |  | the fable of the Man and the Flea |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | the Man *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with the insect | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To crush it between two heavy stones in the courtyard and bury the remains under the wall.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:404-pg21-part25:e4:o1:1
# text = To crush it between two heavy stones in the courtyard and bury the remains under the wall.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	crush	crush	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	between	between	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
6	heavy	heavy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	stones	stone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	courtyard	courtyard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	bury	bury	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	remains	remains	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	12	obj	_	_
15	under	under	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crush** | to-infinitive |  | it |  | the courtyard |  | between two heavy stones | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |
| 2 | **bury** | infinitive |  | the remains |  | the wall |  |  | vn put-9.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent remains=Theme under wall=Destination |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To destroy it with his own hands.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:404-pg21-part25:e4:o2:1
# text = To destroy it with his own hands.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	destroy	destroy	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **destroy** | to-infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | with his own hands | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent it=Patient with hand=Instrument |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To release it outside the house.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:404-pg21-part25:e4:o3:1
# text = To release it outside the house.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	release	release	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	outside	outside	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **release** | to-infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | outside the house | vn free-10.6.3-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Causer it=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To destroy it with his own hands once he had caught it in the bed.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:404-pg21-part25:e4:o4:1
# text = To destroy it with his own hands once he had caught it in the bed.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	destroy	destroy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	caught	catch	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	bed	bed	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **destroy** | to-infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | with his own hands | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: agent=Agent it=Patient with hand=Instrument |
| 2 | **catch** | past · perfect · passive |  | he |  | the bed |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP.beneficiary NP»: subject=Beneficiary it=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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- ← previous: [Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/404-pg21-part25/e3/)
- next →: [Aesop's Fables, The Lion and the Sheph…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/405-pg21-part26/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Aesop's Fables, The Ass and His Driver: a bolting ass is hauled back by the tail, and the fables that follow each end with a small lesson.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/404-pg21-part25/)