---
title: Which of the following correctly identifies the event the mermaid ob… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mer… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following correctly identifies the event the mermaid observed from the deck of the ship? Exam question 3 of lesson 880 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid, part 91: the mermaid gets legs, dances for the prince, and sails away with him» of the books course of Mova's primary schoo
---

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# Exam question 3 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid, part 91: the m…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following correctly identifies the event the mermaid observed from the deck of the ship?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **What happens:** follow, identify, observe · **To what, where:** event, mermaid, deck

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 880 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid, part 91: the mermaid gets legs, dances for the prince, and sails away with him» 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/880-pg27200-part91/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:880-pg27200-part91:e3:1
# text = Which of the following correctly identifies the event the mermaid observed from the deck of the ship?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
5	correctly	correctly	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	identifies	identify	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	mermaid	mermaid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
11	observed	observe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	10	acl	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	deck	deck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | correctly *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **identify** | present |  | the event |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **observe** | participle |  | the mermaid *not said here* |  | the deck of the ship |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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 -->
Her sisters rising on the waves and wringing their white hands

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:880-pg27200-part91:e3:o1:1
# text = Her sisters rising on the waves and wringing their white hands
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	wringing	wring	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | gerund | Her sisters |  |  | the waves |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on wave=Location |
| 2 | **wring** | gerund | Her sisters *not said here* | sisters's white hands |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her sisters diving down under the foam and waving their white arms

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:880-pg27200-part91:e3:o2:1
# text = Her sisters diving down under the foam and waving their white arms
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	diving	dive	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	down	down	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	under	under	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	foam	foam	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	waving	wave	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	conj	_	_
10	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
11	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	arms	arm	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **dive down** | gerund | Her sisters |  |  | the foam |  |  | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent under foam=Location |
| 2 | **wave** | gerund | Her sisters *not said here* | sisters's white arms |  |  |  |  | vn wink-40.3.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent arm=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her sisters rising on the waves and wringing their white hands, while the old Sea King watched from the deep below the ship

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:880-pg27200-part91:e3:o3:1
# text = Her sisters rising on the waves and wringing their white hands, while the old Sea King watched from the deep below the ship
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	nsubj	_	_
3	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	wringing	wring	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
9	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
10	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	hands	hand	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
16	Sea	Sea	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	17	compound	_	_
17	King	King	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	watched	watch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
19	from	from	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	deep	deep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
22	below	below	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | gerund | Her sisters *not said here* |  |  | the waves |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent on wave=Location |
| 2 | **wring** | gerund | Her sisters *not said here* | sisters's white hands |  |  |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hand=Patient |
| 3 | **watch** | past | Her sisters |  |  | the deep |  | below the ship | vn search-35.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent below ship=Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sisters rising to the waves and singing a sad, sweet song

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:880-pg27200-part91:e3:o4:1
# text = The sisters rising to the waves and singing a sad, sweet song
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sisters	sister	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	rising	rise	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	conj	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
10	sad	sad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
12	sweet	sweet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | gerund | the sisters *not said here* |  |  | the waves |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to wave=Initial\_Location |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | gerund | the sisters *not said here* | a sad sweet song |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location song=Theme |

<!-- 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: [Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mer…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/880-pg27200-part91/e2/)
- next →: [Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mer…, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/880-pg27200-part91/e4/)
- ↑ back to [Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid, part 91: the mermaid gets legs, dances for the prince, and sails away with him](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/880-pg27200-part91/)