---
title: By what stratagem did Brer Fox secure the attention of the tattling… — Uncle Remus, The Fate of Mr. Fox: a ta… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what stratagem did Brer Fox secure the attention of the tattling sparrow? Exam question 3 of lesson 578 «Uncle Remus, The Fate of Mr. Fox: a tattling sparrow gets eaten» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mova'
---

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# Exam question 3 · Uncle Remus, The Fate of Mr. Fox: a tattling sparrow gets…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what stratagem did Brer Fox secure the attention of the tattling sparrow?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** stratagem, Brer, tattling sparrow · **What happens:** do, secure, attend · **To what, where:** attention

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 578 «Uncle Remus, The Fate of Mr. Fox: a tattling sparrow gets eaten» 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/578-pg2306-part14/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:578-pg2306-part14:e3:1
# text = By what stratagem did Brer Fox secure the attention of the tattling sparrow?
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
3	stratagem	stratagem	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
5	Brer	Brer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	Fox	Fox	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	flat	_	_
7	secure	secure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	tattling	tattling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past | stratagem |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **secure** | past | Brer | the attention of the tattling sparrow |  |  |  |  | vn ensure-99 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition attention=Theme |
| 3 | **attend** |  | the tattling sparrow |  |  |  |  |  | nom attention «cognition intransitive»: of=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 acted sweet and gave the bird some corn

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:578-pg2306-part14:e3:o1:1
# text = He acted sweet and gave the bird some corn
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	acted	act	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	corn	corn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | past | He |  |  |  |  | sweet *property* | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **give** | past | He *not said here* | some corn | the bird |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent bird=Recipient corn=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He feigned deafness and invited the bird closer to his big yellow tooth

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:578-pg2306-part14:e3:o2:1
# text = He feigned deafness and invited the bird closer to his big yellow tooth
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feigned	feign	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	deafness	deafness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	invited	invite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	closer	close	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
11	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feign** | past | He | deafness |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent deafness=Patient |
| 2 | **invite** | past | He *not said here* |  | the bird |  |  | to bird's big yellow tooth; close *property* | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Recipient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He feigned deafness, yawned loudly, and invited the nosy bird to come closer and listen

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:578-pg2306-part14:e3:o3:1
# text = He feigned deafness, yawned loudly, and invited the nosy bird to come closer and listen
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feigned	feign	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	deafness	deafness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	yawned	yawn	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	conj	_	_
6	loudly	loudly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	invited	invite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	nosy	nosy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
15	closer	close	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	14	advmod	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	listen	listen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feign** | past | He | deafness |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent deafness=Patient |
| 2 | **yawn** | participle | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | loudly *property* | vn nonverbal\_expression-40.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **invite** | past | He *not said here* |  | the nosy bird |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Recipient |
| 4 | **come** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | close *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **listen** | infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He feigned deafness and invited the bird closer

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:578-pg2306-part14:e3:o4:1
# text = He feigned deafness and invited the bird closer
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	feigned	feign	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	deafness	deafness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	invited	invite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	closer	close	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	5	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feign** | past | He | deafness |  |  |  |  | vn establish-55.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent deafness=Patient |
| 2 | **invite** | past | He *not said here* |  | the bird |  |  | close *property* | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bird=Recipient |

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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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