---
title: Why does the wild duck keep quoting that weird proverb thing? — Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, par… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why does the wild duck keep quoting that weird proverb thing? Test 8 · ★ of lesson 694 «Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, part 34: the prince frees a prisoner, meets three grateful creatures, and is set a grain-sorting task» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and
---

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# Test 8 · ★ · Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, part 34: the prince fre…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why does the wild duck keep quoting that weird proverb thing?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** wild duck · **What happens:** quote

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 8 · ★ of lesson 694 «Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, part 34: the prince frees a prisoner, meets three grateful creatures, and is set a grain-sorting task» of the books course of Mova's primary school. 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/694-pg2435-part34/#t8).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:694-pg2435-part34:t8:1
# text = Why does the wild duck keep quoting that weird proverb thing?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	wild	wild	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	duck	duck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	keep	keep	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	quoting	quote	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
9	weird	weird	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	proverb	proverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **quote** *speech: other* | present · do-support | the wild duck |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It says creatures always meet again, so it repays him

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:694-pg2435-part34:t8:o1:1
# text = It says creatures always meet again, so it repays him
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	creatures	creature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	meet	meet	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	again	again	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	repays	repay	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **meet** | present | creatures |  |  |  | again | always *property* | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **repay** | present | it |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It says creatures always meet again, so it repays him for sparing its life and its sons

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:694-pg2435-part34:t8:o2:1
# text = It says creatures always meet again, so it repays him for sparing its life and its sons
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	creatures	creature	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	meet	meet	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	again	again	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	repays	repay	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	_
12	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	sparing	spare	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
14	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	sons	son	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **meet** | present | creatures |  |  |  | again | always *property* | vn meet-36.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **repay** | present | it |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent he=Recipient |
| 4 | **spare** | gerund |  | its life and its sons |  |  |  |  | vn bill-54.5 «NP V NP NP.asset»: agent=Agent life=Asset |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is quoting the proverb because it believes every creature must repay the kindness of another one day in turn

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:694-pg2435-part34:t8:o3:1
# text = It is quoting the proverb because it believes every creature must repay the kindness of another one day in turn
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	quoting	quote	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	proverb	proverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	believes	believe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
9	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	creature	creature	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	repay	repay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	18	det	_	_
17	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	18	nummod	_	_
18	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	turn	turn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **quote** *speech: other* | present · progressive | It | the proverb |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent proverb=Topic |
| 2 | **believe** | present | proverb |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **repay** | must | every creature | the kindness of another one day |  | turn |  |  | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent kindness=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It remembers the proverb and wants to be kind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:694-pg2435-part34:t8:o4:1
# text = It remembers the proverb and wants to be kind
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	remembers	remember	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	proverb	proverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
9	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **remember** | present | It | the proverb |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent proverb=Theme |
| 2 | **want** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **is** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |

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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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- next →: [Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, par…, test 9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/694-pg2435-part34/t9/)
- ↑ back to [Fairy Tales, The Gold-Bearded Man, part 34: the prince frees a prisoner, meets three grateful creatures, and is set a grain-sorting task](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/694-pg2435-part34/)