---
title: Describe the sequence by which the bird's grey plumage came to be wh… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Girl Who T… · tree and pragmatics
description: Describe the sequence by which the bird's grey plumage came to be white, and state the event that brought about this alteration. Exam question 3 of lesson 833 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf, part 44: Inge is freed as a little bird, does good deeds all winter, and turns white»
---

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# Exam question 3 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf, par…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Describe the sequence by which the bird's grey plumage came to be white, and state the event that brought about this alteration.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, grey plumage, event · **What happens:** describe, come, be, bring · **To what, where:** sequence

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 833 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf, part 44: Inge is freed as a little bird, does good deeds all winter, and turns white» 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/833-pg27200-part44/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:833-pg27200-part44:e3:1
# text = Describe the sequence by which the bird's grey plumage came to be white, and state the event that brought about this alteration.
1	Describe	describe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	sequence	sequence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	obl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	plumage	plumage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
11	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	acl:relcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
13	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	cop	_	_
14	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
20	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	21	nsubj	_	_
21	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	19	acl:relcl	_	_
22	about	about	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	24	det	_	_
24	alteration	alteration	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | imperative | you *not said here* | the sequence |  |  |  | state  the event *obl* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent sequence=Theme |
| 2 | **come** | past | the bird's grey plumage |  |  |  |  | by the sequence | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by which=Location |
| 3 | **is** | to-infinitive | the bird's grey plumage *not said here* |  |  |  |  | white *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **bring** | past | the event |  |  |  |  | about this alteration | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP together»: 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 -->
The grey wings turned white once the last bread-crumb had been found and given away

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:833-pg27200-part44:e3:o1:1
# text = The grey wings turned white once the last bread-crumb had been found and given away
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	14	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
8	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
9	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	crumb	crumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	conj	_	_
17	away	away	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | the grey wings |  |  |  |  | white *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **find** | past · perfect · passive |  | the last bread crumb |  |  |  | once *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |
| 3 | **give away** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Their colour changed once the final crust was shared with the sparrows

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:833-pg27200-part44:e3:o2:1
# text = Their colour changed once the final crust was shared with the sparrows
1	Their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	colour	colour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	changed	change	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	once	once	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	crust	crust	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	shared	share	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	advcl	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **change** | past | Their colour |  |  |  |  |  | vn dress-41.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **share** | past · passive |  | the final crust |  |  |  | with the sparrows | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The grey wings turned white once the last bread-crumb had been found and given away to all the hungry sparrows in the snowy village

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:833-pg27200-part44:e3:o3:1
# text = The grey wings turned white once the last bread-crumb had been found and given away to all the hungry sparrows in the snowy village
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	_
6	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	14	advmod	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
8	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
9	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	crumb	crumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
13	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	14	aux:pass	_	_
14	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	conj	_	_
17	away	away	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
19	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	22	det:predet	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	hungry	hungry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	sparrows	sparrow	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	obl	_	_
23	in	in	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
24	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
25	snowy	snowy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
26	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | the grey wings |  |  |  |  | white *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **find** | past · perfect · passive |  | the last bread crumb |  |  |  | once *property* | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |
| 3 | **give away** | participle |  |  |  | the snowy village |  | away *property* | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The grey wings slowly turned white in the cold moonlight after the bird had given away every crumb it had gathered in the ruined wall

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:833-pg27200-part44:e3:o4:1
# text = The grey wings slowly turned white in the cold moonlight after the bird had given away every crumb it had gathered in the ruined wall
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grey	grey	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	wings	wing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
4	slowly	slowly	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	cold	cold	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	moonlight	moonlight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	after	after	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	bird	bird	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
14	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
16	away	away	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
17	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	18	det	_	_
18	crumb	crumb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj:pass	_	_
20	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	_
21	gathered	gather	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	acl:relcl	_	_
22	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
24	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	25	amod	_	_
25	wall	wall	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **turn** | past | the grey wings |  |  | the cold moonlight |  | slowly, white *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme in moonlight=Trajectory |
| 2 | **give away** | past · perfect · passive |  | the bird |  |  |  | away *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **gather** | past · perfect · passive | every crumb *not said here* | bird |  | the ruined wall |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 4 | **ruin** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=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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