---
title: Which statement most accurately describes Death's reasoning when he… — Andersen's Tales, The Story of a Mothe… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which statement most accurately describes Death's reasoning when he refuses to let her destroy the flowers? Exam question 2 of lesson 996 «Andersen's Tales, The Story of a Mother: Death carries off the child» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of th
---

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# Exam question 2 · Andersen's Tales, The Story of a Mother: Death carries off…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which statement most accurately describes Death's reasoning when he refuses to let her destroy the flowers?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** statement, Death · **What happens:** describe, refuse, not let, destroy, reason · **To what, where:** reasoning, Death, flowers

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This is exam question 2 of lesson 996 «Andersen's Tales, The Story of a Mother: Death carries off the child» 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/996-pg27200-part207/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:996-pg27200-part207:e2:1
# text = Which statement most accurately describes Death's reasoning when he refuses to let her destroy the flowers?
1	Which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	2	det	_	_
2	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	4	advmod	_	_
4	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	Death	Death	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
10	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	refuses	refuse	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	xcomp	_	_
14	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	destroy	destroy	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	flowers	flower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | present | which statement | Death's reasoning |  |  |  | accurately *property* | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent reasoning=Theme |
| 2 | **refuse** | present | statement |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **let** | to-infinitive | statement *not said here* | Death |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **destroy** | infinitive | Death *not said here* | the flowers |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flower=Patient |
| 5 | **reason** |  | Death |  |  |  |  |  | nom reasoning «cognition intransitive»: poss=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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Other mothers would also grieve the same

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:996-pg27200-part207:e2:o1:1
# text = Other mothers would also grieve the same
1	Other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	mothers	mother	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
5	grieve	grieve	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	same	same	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grieve** | would | Other mothers | the same |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus same=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Another mother would suffer as she does, and so he must let each flower live its appointed life

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:996-pg27200-part207:e2:o2:1
# text = Another mother would suffer as she does, and so he must let each flower live its appointed life
1	Another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	let	let	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
14	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	15	det	_	_
15	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	_
16	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	ccomp	_	_
17	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	19	nmod:poss	_	_
18	appointed	appoint	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	amod	_	_
19	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | would | another mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **do** | present | mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **let** | must | he |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **live** | present | each flower | flower's appointed life |  |  |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V ADV»: agent=Theme life=Location |
| 5 | **appoint** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Another mother would suffer as she does

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:996-pg27200-part207:e2:o3:1
# text = Another mother would suffer as she does
1	Another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | would | another mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **do** | present | mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is bound by God's law and cannot allow any flower to be destroyed by a grieving human

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:996-pg27200-part207:e2:o4:1
# text = He is bound by God's law and cannot allow any flower to be destroyed by a grieving human
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	bound	bind	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
9	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	allow	allow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
12	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	13	det	_	_
13	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
15	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	aux:pass	_	_
16	destroyed	destroy	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
19	grieving	grieve	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	20	amod	_	_
20	human	human	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bind** | present · passive | God's law | He |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 2 | **not** **allow** | can | God's law *not said here* | any flower |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent flower=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **destroy** | to-infinitive · passive | a grieving human | any flower *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **grieve** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

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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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