---
title: What is the significance of the grindstone episode in relation to th… — Uncle Remus, The Sad Fate of Mr. Fox:… · tree and pragmatics
description: What is the significance of the grindstone episode in relation to the preceding events of the tale? Exam question 4 of lesson 588 «Uncle Remus, The Sad Fate of Mr. Fox: Brer Rabbit tricks Brer Fox to his death and escapes Miss Fox» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tr
---

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# Exam question 4 · Uncle Remus, The Sad Fate of Mr. Fox: Brer Rabbit tricks B…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What is the significance of the grindstone episode in relation to the preceding events of the tale?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** be, precede · **To what, where:** significance

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 588 «Uncle Remus, The Sad Fate of Mr. Fox: Brer Rabbit tricks Brer Fox to his death and escapes Miss Fox» 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/588-pg2306-part24/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:588-pg2306-part24:e4:1
# text = What is the significance of the grindstone episode in relation to the preceding events of the tale?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	significance	significance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	grindstone	grindstone	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	episode	episode	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	relation	relation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	preceding	precede	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	14	amod	_	_
14	events	event	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nmod	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | the significance |  |  |  | of the grindstone episode in relation to the preceding events of the tale | tree rules |
| 2 | **precede** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn contiguous\_location-47.8 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
It enables Brer Rabbit to escape a second time through another deception, which mirrors the earlier trick with the fire, the cow, and the maul

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:588-pg2306-part24:e4:o1:1
# text = It enables Brer Rabbit to escape a second time through another deception, which mirrors the earlier trick with the fire, the cow, and the maul
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	enables	enable	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Brer	Brer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	flat	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
9	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	through	through	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	det	_	_
12	deception	deception	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	15	det	_	_
15	mirrors	mirror	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	conj	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	18	amod	_	_
18	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	appos	_	_
19	with	with	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	cow	cow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	28	punct	_	_
26	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	28	cc	_	_
27	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	28	det	_	_
28	maul	maul	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enable** | present | It | Brer |  |  |  | the maul *obl* | tree rules |
| 2 | **escape** | to-infinitive | Brer *not said here* |  |  | another deception and which mirrors | time |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme through deception=Initial\_Location |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It shows Brer Rabbit tricking Miss Fox again so he can flee the house safely

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:588-pg2306-part24:e4:o2:1
# text = It shows Brer Rabbit tricking Miss Fox again so he can flee the house safely
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	shows	show	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Brer	Brer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	tricking	trick	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
6	Miss	Miss	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	_
7	Fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	again	again	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
9	so	so	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	flee	flee	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	house	house	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	safely	safely	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | present | It | Brer Rabbit |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent rabbit=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **trick** | gerund |  | Miss Fox |  |  | again |  | vn trick-59.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fox=Patient |
| 3 | **flee** | can | Fox | the house |  |  |  | safely *property* | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme house=Initial\_Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It explains how the dogs were called off by Rabbit's second lie

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:588-pg2306-part24:e4:o3:1
# text = It explains how the dogs were called off by Rabbit's second lie
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	explains	explain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dogs	dog	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	ccomp	_	_
8	off	off	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	13	amod	_	_
13	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **call off** *speech: assert* | past · passive | Rabbit's second lie | the dogs |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent subject=Recipient |
| 3 | **lie** |  | Rabbit |  |  |  |  |  | nom lie «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It enables Brer Rabbit to escape a second time, through another deception

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:588-pg2306-part24:e4:o4:1
# text = It enables Brer Rabbit to escape a second time, through another deception
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	enables	enable	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Brer	Brer	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	Rabbit	Rabbit	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	flat	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	second	second	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	9	amod	_	_
9	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	through	through	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	13	det	_	_
13	deception	deception	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enable** | present | It | Brer |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **escape** | to-infinitive | Brer *not said here* |  |  | another deception | time |  | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme through deception=Initial\_Location |

<!-- 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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