---
title: Looking back: the Stranger-man believes a magic tooth will make peop… — Just So Stories, How the First Letter… · tree and pragmatics
description: Looking back: the Stranger-man believes a magic tooth will make people burst. Which earlier character also believed something that was not so? Test 10 · ★ of lesson 84 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark» of the books course of Mova'
---

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# Test 10 · ★ · Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Looking back: the Stranger-man believes a magic tooth will make people burst. Which earlier character also believed something that was not so?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Stranger man, magic tooth, people · **What happens:** look back, believe, make, burst · **To what, where:** people, something · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 10 · ★ of lesson 84 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark» of the books course of Mova's primary school. 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/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/#t10).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Looking back: the Stranger-man believes a magic tooth will make people burst.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:1
# text = Looking back: the Stranger-man believes a magic tooth will make people burst.
1	Looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
2	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
5	Stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
8	believes	believe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	magic	magic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	tooth	tooth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
12	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	ccomp	_	_
14	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
15	burst	burst	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look back** | gerund | the Stranger man *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **believe** | present | the Stranger man |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 3 | **make** | future | a magic tooth | people |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **burst** | infinitive | people *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Which earlier character also believed something that was not so?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:2
# text = Which earlier character also believed something that was not so?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
2	earlier	early	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	amod	_	_
3	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	8	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	10	advmod	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer something=Stimulus |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Elephant, who thought the Crocodile was kind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:o1:1
# text = The Elephant, who thought the Crocodile was kind
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Elephant	Elephant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl:relcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Crocodile	Crocodile	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the Elephant | the Crocodile |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot crocodile=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the Elephant |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Whale, who thought the Mariner was dead

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:o2:1
# text = The Whale, who thought the Mariner was dead
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	acl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Mariner	Mariner	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the Whale | the Mariner |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot mariner=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | past | the Whale |  |  |  |  | dead *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Painted Jaguar, who thought the curled-up Hedgehog was the Tortoise

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:o3:1
# text = Painted Jaguar, who thought the curled-up Hedgehog was the Tortoise
1	Painted	paint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	amod	_	_
2	Jaguar	Jaguar	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	curled	curl	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
10	Hedgehog	Hedgehog	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	Tortoise	tortoise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **paint** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn image\_impression-25.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **think** *speech: other* | past | Painted Jaguar |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **curl up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn coil-9.6-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **is a** | past | the curled Hedgehog | the Tortoise |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Mariner, who thought the whale was a sleeping island and so built a fire on its back

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear:t10:o4:1
# text = The Mariner, who thought the whale was a sleeping island and so built a fire on its back
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Mariner	Mariner	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	5	nsubj	_	_
5	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	whale	whale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	sleeping	sleeping	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	compound	_	_
11	island	island	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	ccomp	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	built	build	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	on	on	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
19	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | the Mariner |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is a** | past | the whale | a sleeping island |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **build** | past | the Mariner *not said here* | a fire |  | whale's back |  |  | vn base-97.1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent fire=Theme on back=Source |

<!-- 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 -->

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- ← previous: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t9/)
- next →: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/t11/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 1: a broken spear and a picture on birch-bark](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/84-justso-first-letter-1-a-broken-spear/)