---
title: According to the passage, by what means did Paul descend beneath the… — Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd… · tree and pragmatics
description: According to the passage, by what means did Paul descend beneath the earth in pursuit of the dwarf? Exam question 4 of lesson 711 «Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd Paul, part 51: Niels is caught and wed, then Paul gathers three strong friends and finds a dragon's captive» of the books course of
---

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# Exam question 4 · Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd Paul, part 51: Niels…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
According to the passage, by what means did Paul descend beneath the earth in pursuit of the dwarf?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Paul · **What happens:** accord, mean, descend, pursue · **To what, where:** dwarf · **Speech:** someone speaks here

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This is exam question 4 of lesson 711 «Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd Paul, part 51: Niels is caught and wed, then Paul gathers three strong friends and finds a dragon's captive» 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/711-pg2435-part51/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:711-pg2435-part51:e4:1
# text = According to the passage, by what means did Paul descend beneath the earth in pursuit of the dwarf?
1	According	accord	VERB	VBG	ExtPos=ADP|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	case	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	1	fixed	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	passage	passage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	nsubj	_	_
8	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
10	Paul	Paul	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	descend	descend	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
12	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	pursuit	pursuit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	dwarf	dwarf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accord** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | accord the passage | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **descend** | past · do-support | Paul |  |  |  |  | beneath the earth in pursuit of the dwarf | vn meander-47.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **pursue** |  |  | the dwarf |  |  |  |  | nom pursuit «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- .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 -->
By sliding down a rope from the hill

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:711-pg2435-part51:e4:o1:1
# text = By sliding down a rope from the hill
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	sliding	slide	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	down	down	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	from	from	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **slide down** | gerund |  | a rope |  | the hill |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent rope=Theme from hill=Trajectory |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By climbing into a basket and being lowered by two men on a long rope through the rocks into the hole below

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:711-pg2435-part51:e4:o2:1
# text = By climbing into a basket and being lowered by two men on a long rope through the rocks into the hole below
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	climbing	climb	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	2	cc	_	_
7	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	lowered	lower	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	11	nummod	_	_
11	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
16	through	through	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	rocks	rock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
19	into	into	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	hole	hole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
22	below	below	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **climb** | gerund | two men *not said here* |  |  | a basket |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into basket=Destination |
| 2 | **lower** | gerund · passive | two men |  |  | a long rope |  | through the rocks; into the hole | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location PP.destination»: agent=Agent on rope=Destination through rock=Initial\_Location |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By stepping into a basket lowered on a cord

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:711-pg2435-part51:e4:o3:1
# text = By stepping into a basket lowered on a cord
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	stepping	step	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	lowered	lower	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	cord	cord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **step** | gerund |  |  |  | a basket |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into basket=Destination |
| 2 | **lower** | participle |  | a basket *not said here* |  | a cord |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent on cord=Destination |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By stepping into a basket that was lowered on a long cord by the men above, then sinking slowly into the dark hole

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:711-pg2435-part51:e4:o4:1
# text = By stepping into a basket that was lowered on a long cord by the men above, then sinking slowly into the dark hole
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	stepping	step	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	lowered	lower	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl:relcl	_	_
9	on	on	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	cord	cord	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
16	above	above	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
18	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	19	advmod	_	_
19	sinking	sink	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
20	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
21	into	into	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
23	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	amod	_	_
24	hole	hole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **step** | gerund |  |  |  | a basket |  |  | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme into basket=Destination |
| 2 | **lower** | past · passive | the men | a basket |  | a long cord |  | above *property* | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent subject=Theme on cord=Destination |
| 3 | **sink** | gerund |  |  |  | the dark hole | then | slowly *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP.patient V»: agent=Patient |

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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: [Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/711-pg2435-part51/e3/)
- next →: [Japanese Fairy Tales, The Fox and the…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/713-pg2435-part53/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Danish Fairy and Folk Tales, Shepherd Paul, part 51: Niels is caught and wed, then Paul gathers three strong friends and finds a dragon's captive](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/711-pg2435-part51/)