---
title: Ascertain the principal reason for which the French attempt of the 1… — Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the principal reason for which the French attempt of the 1880s to construct a canal across Panama was abandoned. Exam question 3 of lesson 20 «Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts» of the geography course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question a
---

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# Exam question 3 · Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the principal reason for which the French attempt of the 1880s to construct a canal across Panama was abandoned.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** ascertain, construct, abandon, attempt · **To what, where:** principal reason, canal, Panama, French attempt, 1880s

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 20 «Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts» of the geography 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/geography/20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts:e3:1
# text = Ascertain the principal reason for which the French attempt of the 1880s to construct a canal across Panama was abandoned.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	principal	principal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	obl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	French	French	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	attempt	attempt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	1880s	1880	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan|NumForm=Combi|NumType=Card	9	nmod	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	construct	construct	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	acl	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	canal	canal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	across	across	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	Panama	Panama	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
19	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	aux:pass	_	_
20	abandoned	abandon	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the principal reason |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Topic |
| 2 | **construct** | to-infinitive |  | a canal |  | Panama |  |  | vn create-26.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent canal=Result |
| 3 | **abandon** | past · passive |  | the French attempt of the 1880s |  |  |  | for the principal reason | vn leave-51.2 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: subject=Source |
| 4 | **attempt** |  |  | the 1880s |  |  |  |  | nom attempt «act 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 project was prohibited by the Government of Spain, which then still ruled the isthmus of Panama

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts:e3:o1:1
# text = The project was prohibited by the Government of Spain, which then still ruled the isthmus of Panama
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	project	project	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	prohibited	prohibit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Government	government	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl:agent	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Spain	Spain	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	14	obj	_	_
12	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	14	advmod	_	_
13	still	still	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	ruled	rule	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	isthmus	isthmus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	Panama	Panama	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prohibit** | past · passive | the Government of Spain | the project |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer subject=Theme |
| 2 | **rule** | past | the Government of Spain *not said here* | the isthmus of Panama |  |  | then; still |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent which=Theme isthmus=Result |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Approximately twenty-two thousand workers perished, principally from malaria and yellow fever

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts:e3:o2:1
# text = Approximately twenty-two thousand workers perished, principally from malaria and yellow fever
1	Approximately	approximately	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
2	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	compound	_	_
5	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	workers	worker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
7	perished	perish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	principally	principally	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	malaria	malaria	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	yellow	yellow	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	fever	fever	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **perish** | participle |  | thousand workers *not said here* |  | malaria and yellow fever |  |  | vn die-42.4-1 «NP V PP.cause»: agent=Patient from malaria=Causer |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The isthmus was found to contain insufficient water for the operation of any locks

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts:e3:o3:1
# text = The isthmus was found to contain insufficient water for the operation of any locks
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	isthmus	isthmus	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	contain	contain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	insufficient	insufficient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	locks	lock	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **find** | past · passive |  | the isthmus |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: subject=Attribute clause=Theme |
| 2 | **contain** | to-infinitive | the isthmus *not said here* | insufficient water |  |  |  | for the operation of any locks | vn comprise-107.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot water=Theme |
| 3 | **operate** |  |  | any locks |  |  |  |  | nom operation «state transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The requisite funds were diverted to the enlargement of the Suez Canal

```conllu
# sent_id = question:geography:20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts:e3:o4:1
# text = The requisite funds were diverted to the enlargement of the Suez Canal
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	requisite	requisite	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	funds	fund	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
4	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	diverted	divert	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	enlargement	enlargement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	Suez	Suez	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	Canal	Canal	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **divert** | past · passive |  | the requisite funds |  |  |  | to the enlargement of the Suez Canal | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **enlarge** |  |  | the Suez Canal |  |  |  |  | nom enlargement «act transitive»: of=patient |

<!-- 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: [Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts/e2/)
- next →: [Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts/e4/)
- ↑ back to [Canals: Suez, Panama and the shortcuts](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/geography/20-canals-suez-panama-and-the-shortcuts/)