---
title: Given that a child is asked by a stranger to explain a parent's deat… — When a parent has died · tree and pragmatics
description: Given that a child is asked by a stranger to explain a parent's death, ascertain the extent of explanation required. Exam question 4 of lesson 518 «When a parent has died» of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; Mov
---

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# Exam question 4 · When a parent has died

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Given that a child is asked by a stranger to explain a parent's death, ascertain the extent of explanation required.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 4 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** stranger, you, parent · **What happens:** give, ask, explain, ascertain, require, die · **To what, where:** child, death, extent, explanation

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 518 «When a parent has died» of the everyday 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/everyday/518-when-a-parent-has-died/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:518-when-a-parent-has-died:e4:1
# text = Given that a child is asked by a stranger to explain a parent's death, ascertain the extent of explanation required.
1	Given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	mark	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	asked	ask	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	17	advcl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stranger	stranger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	advcl	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	's	's	PART	POS	_	13	case	_	_
15	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
17	ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	extent	extent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
21	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nmod	_	_
22	required	require	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present · passive | a stranger | a child |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent subject=Recipient |
| 3 | **explain** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | a parent's death |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Topic |
| 4 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the extent of explanation |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent extent=Topic |
| 5 | **require** | participle |  | the extent of explanation *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn require-103-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **die** |  | a parent |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: poss=agent |
| 7 | **extend** |  |  | explanation |  |  |  |  | nom extent «state transitive»: of=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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child is obliged to respond in writing within a week

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:518-when-a-parent-has-died:e4:o1:1
# text = The child is obliged to respond in writing within a week
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	obliged	oblige	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	respond	respond	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	within	within	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	week	week	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **oblige** | present · passive |  | the child |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: subject=Patient clause=Result |
| 2 | **respond** *speech: other* | to-infinitive |  |  |  | writing | week |  | vn respond-113 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A complete account of all circumstances must be furnished

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:518-when-a-parent-has-died:e4:o2:1
# text = A complete account of all circumstances must be furnished
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	complete	complete	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	account	account	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	circumstances	circumstance	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
7	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	furnished	furnish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **furnish** | must · passive |  | a complete account of all circumstances |  |  |  |  | vn fulfilling-13.4.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Recipient |
| 2 | **account** |  |  | all circumstances |  |  |  |  | nom account «communication transitive»: of=patient |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A brief statement suffices, and no further detail is owed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:518-when-a-parent-has-died:e4:o3:1
# text = A brief statement suffices, and no further detail is owed
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	brief	brief	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	suffices	suffice	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
7	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
8	further	further	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	detail	detail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	owed	owe	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	ccomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffice** | present | a brief statement |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **owe** | present · passive |  | no further detail |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: subject=Theme |

### Option 4 · ← Mova's choice {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The child must decline to acknowledge the parent's death

```conllu
# sent_id = question:everyday:518-when-a-parent-has-died:e4:o4:1
# text = The child must decline to acknowledge the parent's death
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	decline	decline	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	acknowledge	acknowledge	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	parent	parent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **decline** | must | the child |  |  |  |  |  | vn reject-77.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **acknowledge** | to-infinitive | the child *not said here* | the parent's death |  |  |  |  | vn confess-37.10 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent death=Topic |
| 3 | **die** |  | the parent |  |  |  |  |  | nom death «event intransitive»: poss=agent |

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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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- ← previous: [When a parent has died, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/everyday/518-when-a-parent-has-died/e3/)
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