---
title: Which character first proposed a quick death for the sparrow, and wa… — Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and t… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which character first proposed a quick death for the sparrow, and was she overruled? Exam question 4 of lesson 732 «Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and the Carter: the bird's revenge, then the twelve dancing princesses begin» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree an
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/732-pg2591-part8/e4/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Books](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/) / [Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and t…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/732-pg2591-part8/) / e4

# Exam question 4 · Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and the Carter: the bird'…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which character first proposed a quick death for the sparrow, and was she overruled?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** character · **What happens:** propose, overrule · **To what, where:** quick death, character

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 732 «Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and the Carter: the bird's revenge, then the twelve dancing princesses begin» 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/732-pg2591-part8/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:732-pg2591-part8:e4:1
# text = Which character first proposed a quick death for the sparrow, and was she overruled?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	4	advmod	_	_
4	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
13	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux:pass	_	_
14	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	overruled	overrule	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propose** | past | which character | a quick death |  |  |  | for the sparrow; first *property* | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Theme |
| 2 | **overrule** | past · passive |  | character |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
the carter's wife proposed it, and the carter overruled her

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:732-pg2591-part8:e4:o1:1
# text = the carter's wife proposed it, and the carter overruled her
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	carter	carter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	carter	carter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	overruled	overrule	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
12	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propose** | past | the carter's wife | carter |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **overrule** | past | the carter | wife |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the sparrow proposed it, and the wife agreed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:732-pg2591-part8:e4:o2:1
# text = the sparrow proposed it, and the wife agreed
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	agreed	agree	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propose** | past | the sparrow | it |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **agree** *speech: agree* | past | the wife |  |  |  |  |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the carter's wife proposed a quick death for the sparrow at once, and the carter firmly overruled her

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:732-pg2591-part8:e4:o3:1
# text = the carter's wife proposed a quick death for the sparrow at once, and the carter firmly overruled her
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	carter	carter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sparrow	sparrow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
12	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	carter	carter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
18	firmly	firmly	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	overruled	overrule	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
20	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propose** | past | the carter's wife | a quick death |  |  |  | for the sparrow | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Theme |
| 2 | **overrule** | past | the carter | wife |  |  |  | firmly *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
the carter's wife proposed it, but he refused

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:732-pg2591-part8:e4:o4:1
# text = the carter's wife proposed it, but he refused
1	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	carter	carter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wife	wife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	proposed	propose	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	refused	refuse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **propose** | past | the carter's wife | carter |  |  |  |  | vn reflexive\_appearance-48.1.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **refuse** | past | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and t…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/732-pg2591-part8/e3/)
- next →: [Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Fisherman and…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/733-pg2591-part9/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Sparrow and the Carter: the bird's revenge, then the twelve dancing princesses begin](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/732-pg2591-part8/)