---
title: Which of the following accurately describes the action by which the… — Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mer… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following accurately describes the action by which the little mermaid resolves her final dilemma? Exam question 1 of lesson 881 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid: the mermaid refuses the knife and rises among the daughters of the air» of the books course of Mova's primary scho
---

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# Exam question 1 · Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid: the mermaid re…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following accurately describes the action by which the little mermaid resolves her final dilemma?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** little mermaid · **What happens:** follow, describe, resolve · **To what, where:** action, final dilemma

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 881 «Andersen's Fairy Tales, The Little Mermaid: the mermaid refuses the knife and rises among the daughters of the air» 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/881-pg27200-part92/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:881-pg27200-part92:e1:1
# text = Which of the following accurately describes the action by which the little mermaid resolves her final dilemma?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	obl	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	mermaid	mermaid	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	resolves	resolve	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
15	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
16	final	final	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | the action |  |  |  | accurately *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent action=Theme |
| 3 | **resolve** | present | the little mermaid | mermaid's final dilemma |  |  |  | by the action | tree rules |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She hides the weapon and gives up her body to the waves

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:881-pg27200-part92:e1:o1:1
# text = She hides the weapon and gives up her body to the waves
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hides	hide	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	weapon	weapon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	gives	give	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
7	up	up	ADP	RP	_	6	compound:prt	_	_
8	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	iobj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	waves	wave	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hide** | present | She | the weapon |  |  |  |  | vn concealment-16-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent weapon=Patient |
| 2 | **give up** | present | She *not said here* |  | her body |  |  | to the waves | vn contribute-13.2 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent body=Theme to wave=Recipient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She tosses the blade into the sea and accepts her fate as a spirit

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:881-pg27200-part92:e1:o2:1
# text = She tosses the blade into the sea and accepts her fate as a spirit
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tosses	toss	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	blade	blade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	accepts	accept	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	fate	fate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	spirit	spirit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **toss** | present | She | the blade |  | the sea |  |  | vn crane-40.3.2 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent blade=Patient into sea=Recipient |
| 2 | **accept** | present | She *not said here* | her fate |  |  |  | as a spirit | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent fate=Theme as spirit=Attribute |
| 3 | **fate** |  | her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom fate «event transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She discards the instrument of murder into the sea and surrenders her earthly life

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:881-pg27200-part92:e1:o3:1
# text = She discards the instrument of murder into the sea and surrenders her earthly life
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	discards	discard	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	instrument	instrument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	murder	murder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	surrenders	surrender	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
12	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
13	earthly	earthly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **discard** | present | She | the instrument of murder |  | the sea |  |  | vn throw-17.1 «NP V NP PP.destinations»: agent=Agent instrument=Theme into sea=Destination |
| 2 | **surrender** | present | She *not said here* | her earthly life |  |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2-1-1 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent life=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She drops the knife in the sea

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:881-pg27200-part92:e1:o4:1
# text = She drops the knife in the sea
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	drops	drop	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	knife	knife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drop** | present | She | the knife |  | the sea |  |  | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent knife=Theme in sea=Destination |

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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.

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