---
title: By what means did Brer Rabbit secure his return journey from the isl… — Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzz… · tree and pragmatics
description: By what means did Brer Rabbit secure his return journey from the island? Exam question 1 of lesson 580 «Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzzard, part 16: Rabbit tricks Buzzard into carrying him home from the island» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmat
---

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# Exam question 1 · Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzzard, part 16: Rabbit…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By what means did Brer Rabbit secure his return journey from the island?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Brer · **What happens:** mean, secure, journey · **To what, where:** return journey, island · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 580 «Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzzard, part 16: Rabbit tricks Buzzard into carrying him home from the island» 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/580-pg2306-part16/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:580-pg2306-part16:e1:1
# text = By what means did Brer Rabbit secure his return journey from the island?
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	Brer	Brer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	flat	_	_
7	secure	secure	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	return	return	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	journey	journey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	island	island	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **secure** | past · do-support | Brer | Brer's return journey |  | the island |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent journey=Theme from island=Source |
| 3 | **journey** |  | Brer |  |  |  |  |  | nom journey «act 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 persuaded the Buzzard to carry him back home, having agreed beforehand to divide all the spoils fairly between them both

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:580-pg2306-part16:e1:o1:1
# text = He persuaded the Buzzard to carry him back home, having agreed beforehand to divide all the spoils fairly between them both
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	persuaded	persuade	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Buzzard	Buzzard	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	back	back	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	home	home	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	having	have	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
12	agreed	agree	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	xcomp	_	_
13	beforehand	beforehand	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	divide	divide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	xcomp	_	_
16	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	18	det:predet	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	spoils	spoil	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	ccomp	_	_
19	fairly	fairly	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
20	between	between	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obl	_	_
22	both	both	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **persuade** | past | He | the Buzzard |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent buzzard=Patient |
| 2 | **carry** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  | home *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **agree** *speech: agree* | participle | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **divide** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | beforehand *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **spoil** | present | He *not said here* | both |  |  |  | between them *= they*; fairly *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He convinced Buzzard to fly him back by dividing the spoils fairly

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:580-pg2306-part16:e1:o2:1
# text = He convinced Buzzard to fly him back by dividing the spoils fairly
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	convinced	convince	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Buzzard	Buzzard	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	fly	fly	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	back	back	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
8	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	dividing	divide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	spoils	spoil	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	ccomp	_	_
12	fairly	fairly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **convince** | past | He | Buzzard |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent buzzard=Patient clause=Result |
| 2 | **fly back** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | Buzzard |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location he=Theme |
| 3 | **divide** | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fairly *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **spoil** | present | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He tricked the Buzzard into carrying him after they agreed on a share

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:580-pg2306-part16:e1:o3:1
# text = He tricked the Buzzard into carrying him after they agreed on a share
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tricked	trick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Buzzard	Buzzard	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	carrying	carry	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
9	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	agreed	agree	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
11	on	on	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	share	share	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trick** | past | He | the Buzzard |  |  |  |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent buzzard=Patient |
| 2 | **carry** | gerund | He *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |
| 3 | **agree** *speech: agree* | past | they |  |  |  |  | on a share | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent on share=Topic |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He persuaded the Buzzard to carry him back, having agreed to divide the spoils fairly

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:580-pg2306-part16:e1:o4:1
# text = He persuaded the Buzzard to carry him back, having agreed to divide the spoils fairly
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	persuaded	persuade	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Buzzard	Buzzard	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	carry	carry	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	back	back	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	having	have	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	15	csubj	_	_
11	agreed	agree	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	xcomp	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	divide	divide	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	obj	_	_
15	spoils	spoil	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
16	fairly	fairly	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **persuade** | past | He | the Buzzard |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent buzzard=Patient |
| 2 | **carry back** | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Theme |
| 3 | **have** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **agree** *speech: agree* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **divide** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | the |  |  |  |  | vn multiply-108-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent the=Theme |
| 6 | **spoil** | present | having |  |  |  |  | fairly *property* | vn entity\_specific\_cos-45.5 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- 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: [Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzz…, test 13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/580-pg2306-part16/t13/)
- next →: [Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzz…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/580-pg2306-part16/e2/)
- ↑ back to [Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzzard, part 16: Rabbit tricks Buzzard into carrying him home from the island](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/580-pg2306-part16/)