---
title: Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the… — Just So Stories, How the First Letter… · tree and pragmatics
description: Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the bark.» What did he really do with it? Test 4 · ★ of lesson 85 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 2: the picture goes wrong and the whole Tribe comes» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depe
---

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# Test 4 · ★ · Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 2:…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the bark.» What did he really do with it?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 4 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Stranger man, man · **What happens:** run off, nick, do · **To what, where:** bark

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★ of lesson 85 «Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 2: the picture goes wrong and the whole Tribe comes» 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/85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the bark.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:1
# text = Josh, a bit mardy (sulky): «Stranger-man just ran off and nicked the bark.»
1	Josh	Josh	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	bit	bit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl:unmarked	_	_
5	mardy	mardy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	sulky	sulky	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
10	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	Stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	just	just	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
16	off	off	ADP	RP	_	15	compound:prt	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	nicked	nick	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	bark	bark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run off** *in a quote* | past | Stranger man |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **nick** *in a quote* | past | Stranger man *not said here* | the bark |  |  |  |  | vn carve-21.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bark=Patient |

<!-- .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:* What did he really do with it?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:2
# text = What did he really do with it?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	2	nsubj	_	_
2	did	do	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	really	really	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	do	do	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | past |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **do** | present | man |  |  |  |  | with bit | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Carried it miles away to a far-off cave and gave it to a stranger who wanted it

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:o1:1
# text = Carried it miles away to a far-off cave and gave it to a stranger who wanted it
1	Carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	miles	mile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl:unmarked	_	_
4	away	away	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
7	far	far	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	off	off	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	cave	cave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	_
17	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	18	nsubj	_	_
18	wanted	want	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	acl:relcl	_	_
19	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry** | past |  | it |  | a off cave |  | away *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent it=Theme to cave=Destination |
| 2 | **give** | past |  | cave | a stranger |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent it=Theme to stranger=Recipient |
| 3 | **want** | past | a stranger | cave |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot it=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Took it home and hid it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:o2:1
# text = Took it home and hid it
1	Took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	home	home	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
4	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	hid	hide	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past |  | it |  |  |  | home *property* | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 2 | **hide** | past |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kept it in his pocket for later use

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:o3:1
# text = Kept it in his pocket for later use
1	Kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	pocket	pocket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	8	advmod	_	_
8	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past |  | it |  | his pocket |  | for use | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent it=Theme in pocket=Location |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ran miles to the Cave and politely handed it to Teshumai

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes:t4:o4:1
# text = Ran miles to the Cave and politely handed it to Teshumai
1	Ran	ran	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	miles	mile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Cave	cave	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	politely	politely	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	handed	hand	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Teshumai	Teshumai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hand** | past | Ran miles to the Cave | Cave | Teshumai |  |  | politely *property* | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent it=Theme to teshumai=Destination |

<!-- 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 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes/t3/)
- next →: [Just So Stories, How the First Letter…, test 5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes/t5/)
- ↑ back to [Just So Stories, How the First Letter Was Written, part 2: the picture goes wrong and the whole Tribe comes](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/85-justso-first-letter-2-the-whole-tribe-comes/)