---
title: Explain why the young willow-wrens declined to partake of nourishmen… — Household Tales, The Frog King, part 1… · tree and pragmatics
description: Explain why the young willow-wrens declined to partake of nourishment after the battle had been fought. Exam question 4 of lesson 735 «Household Tales, The Frog King, part 11: the wrens win their war, and a frog bargains with a princess» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depende
---

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# Exam question 4 · Household Tales, The Frog King, part 11: the wrens win the…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Explain why the young willow-wrens declined to partake of nourishment after the battle had been fought.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, young willow wrens · **What happens:** explain, decline, not partake, fight · **To what, where:** battle

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 735 «Household Tales, The Frog King, part 11: the wrens win their war, and a frog bargains with a princess» 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/735-pg2591-part11/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:735-pg2591-part11:e4:1
# text = Explain why the young willow-wrens declined to partake of nourishment after the battle had been fought.
1	Explain	explain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
5	willow	willow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	wrens	wren	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	declined	decline	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	advcl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	partake	partake	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	nourishment	nourishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
13	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	battle	battle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj:pass	_	_
16	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	18	aux:pass	_	_
18	fought	fight	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explain** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **decline** | past | the young willow wrens |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **partake** | to-infinitive | the young willow wrens *not said here* |  |  |  |  | of nourishment | tree rules |
| 4 | **fight** | past · perfect · passive |  | the battle |  |  |  |  | vn battle-36.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Co-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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the bear had insulted them and had refused to beg their pardon at all, even when asked to do so by the birds

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:735-pg2591-part11:e4:o1:1
# text = Because the bear had insulted them and had refused to beg their pardon at all, even when asked to do so by the birds
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bear	bear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	insulted	insult	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	refused	refuse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	beg	beg	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	_
12	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	pardon	pardon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
17	even	even	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
18	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	19	advmod	_	_
19	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	conj	_	_
20	to	to	PART	TO	_	21	mark	_	_
21	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	19	xcomp	_	_
22	so	so	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
23	by	by	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	birds	bird	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	21	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insult** | past · perfect · passive |  | the bear |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Experiencer they=Result |
| 2 | **refuse** | past · perfect |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **beg** *speech: request* | to-infinitive |  | their pardon |  | all |  |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent pardon=Recipient |
| 4 | **ask** *speech: ask* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 5 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | by the birds | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 6 | **pardon** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom pardon «act transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the bear had hurt them and had not asked forgiveness

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:735-pg2591-part11:e4:o2:1
# text = Because the bear had hurt them and had not asked forgiveness
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bear	bear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
11	forgiveness	forgiveness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hurt** | past · perfect · passive |  | the bear |  |  |  | forgiveness *obl* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Experiencer they=Result |
| 2 | **not** **ask** *speech: ask* | past · perfect |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the bear had insulted them and had not begged pardon

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:735-pg2591-part11:e4:o3:1
# text = Because the bear had insulted them and had not begged pardon
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bear	bear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	insulted	insult	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	begged	beg	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
11	pardon	pardon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insult** | past · perfect · passive |  | the bear |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Experiencer they=Result |
| 2 | **not** **beg** *speech: request* | past · perfect |  | pardon |  |  |  |  | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent pardon=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because the bear had insulted them badly, and had never once begged their pardon or come to the nest with apologies

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:735-pg2591-part11:e4:o4:1
# text = Because the bear had insulted them badly, and had never once begged their pardon or come to the nest with apologies
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	bear	bear	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	insulted	insult	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	5	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
11	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	13	advmod	_	_
13	begged	beg	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
14	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
15	pardon	pardon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	come	come	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	conj	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	nest	nest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	_
21	with	with	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	apologies	apology	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **insult** | past · perfect · passive |  | the bear |  |  |  | badly *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Experiencer they=Result |
| 2 | **beg** *speech: request* | past |  | their pardon |  |  |  | once *property* | vn beg-58.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.Topic»: agent=Agent pardon=Recipient |
| 3 | **come** | infinitive |  |  |  | the nest |  | with apologies | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to nest=Initial\_Location |
| 4 | **pardon** |  | their *= they* |  |  |  |  |  | nom pardon «act transitive»: poss=agent |

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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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- ← previous: [Household Tales, The Frog King, part 1…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/735-pg2591-part11/e3/)
- next →: [Grimm's Fairy Tales, Cat and Mouse in…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/736-pg2591-part12/t1/)
- ↑ back to [Household Tales, The Frog King, part 11: the wrens win their war, and a frog bargains with a princess](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/735-pg2591-part11/)