---
title: With reference to the text, which part of the tale is concerned with… — Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle:… · tree and pragmatics
description: With reference to the text, which part of the tale is concerned with the servant's motive for freeing Mrs. Meta Mogen? Exam question 2 of lesson 813 «Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle: the proud needle is tossed into a gutter, sails in an egg-shell, and is crushed by a cart.» of the books course 
---

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# Exam question 2 · Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle: the proud needle is…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
With reference to the text, which part of the tale is concerned with the servant's motive for freeing Mrs. Meta Mogen?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** motive · **What happens:** be, free · **To what, where:** Mrs. Meta

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 813 «Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle: the proud needle is tossed into a gutter, sails in an egg-shell, and is crushed by a cart.» 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/813-pg27200-part24/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:813-pg27200-part24:e2:1
# text = With reference to the text, which part of the tale is concerned with the servant's motive for freeing Mrs. Meta Mogen?
1	With	with	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	reference	reference	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	text	text	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	8	det	_	_
8	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	tale	tale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	concerned	concerned	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	motive	motive	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
19	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	20	mark	_	_
20	freeing	free	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	18	acl	_	_
21	Mrs.	Mrs.	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	compound	_	_
22	Meta	Meta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	20	obj	_	_
23	Mogen	Mogen	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	22	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with reference to the text; with the servant's motive; concerned *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **free** | gerund | the servant's motive *not said here* | Mrs. Meta |  |  |  |  | vn free-10.6.3-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Causer meta=Source |

<!-- .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 -->
The servant's wish to repay Meta's kindness toward his father before the robbers return home

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:813-pg27200-part24:e2:o1:1
# text = The servant's wish to repay Meta's kindness toward his father before the robbers return home
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	repay	repay	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	Meta	Meta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
10	toward	toward	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
13	before	before	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	robbers	robber	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nsubj	_	_
16	return	return	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
17	home	home	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **repay** | to-infinitive | the servant's wish | Meta's kindness |  |  |  | toward wish's father | vn equip-13.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent kindness=Recipient |
| 2 | **return** | present | the robbers |  |  |  |  | home *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **wish** |  | the servant |  |  |  |  |  | nom wish «feeling intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The wish to escape the wooden horse for himself

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:813-pg27200-part24:e2:o2:1
# text = The wish to escape the wooden horse for himself
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	escape	escape	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	wooden	wooden	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	horse	horse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **escape** | to-infinitive |  | the wooden horse |  |  |  | for horse | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme horse=Initial\_Location |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The debt owed to Meta's kindness toward his father

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:813-pg27200-part24:e2:o3:1
# text = The debt owed to Meta's kindness toward his father
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	debt	debt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	owed	owe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	Meta	Meta	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	toward	toward	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	father	father	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **owe** | participle |  | the debt *not said here* |  |  |  | to Meta's kindness toward Meta's father *goal* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent to kindness=Goal |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The servant's desire to avenge the robbers for killing the dog and the family members

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:813-pg27200-part24:e2:o4:1
# text = The servant's desire to avenge the robbers for killing the dog and the family members
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	servant	servant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	desire	desire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	avenge	avenge	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	robbers	robber	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
10	killing	kill	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	compound	_	_
16	members	member	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **avenge** | to-infinitive |  | the robbers |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **kill** | gerund |  | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn remove-10.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dog=Theme |
| 3 | **desire** |  | the servant |  |  |  |  |  | nom desire «feeling 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: [Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle:…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/813-pg27200-part24/e1/)
- next →: [Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle:…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/813-pg27200-part24/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Andersen's Tales, The Darning Needle: the proud needle is tossed into a gutter, sails in an egg-shell, and is crushed by a cart.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/813-pg27200-part24/)