---
title: Finn holds his nose by the Thames. "Was London always this whiffy?"… — Cities: why they grow, and how water a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Finn holds his nose by the Thames. "Was London always this whiffy?" ("Whiffy" means smelly.) Guide: "Worse in 1858!" Why did things get better? Test 12 of lesson 73 «Cities: why they grow, and how water and sewers made them safe» of the history course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tr
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/t12/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [History](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/) / [Cities: why they grow, and how water a…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/) / t12

# Test 12 · Cities: why they grow, and how water and sewers made them…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Finn holds his nose by the Thames. "Was London always this whiffy?" ("Whiffy" means smelly.) Guide: "Worse in 1858!" Why did things get better?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Finn, London, Whiffy, things · **What happens:** hold, be, mean, get · **To what, where:** nose

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 12 of lesson 73 «Cities: why they grow, and how water and sewers made them safe» of the history course of Mova's primary school. 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/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/#t12).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Finn holds his nose by the Thames. "

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:1
# text = Finn holds his nose by the Thames. "
1	Finn	Finn	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	holds	hold	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
4	nose	nose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Thames	Thames	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | Finn | Finn's nose |  |  |  | by the Thames | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent nose=Theme by thames=Location |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Was London always this whiffy?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:2
# text = Was London always this whiffy?"
1	Was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
2	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
4	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
5	whiffy	whiffy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | London |  |  |  |  | always, whiffy *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* ("Whiffy" means smelly.)

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:3
# text = ("Whiffy" means smelly.)
1	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Whiffy	Whiffy	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	smelly	smelly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Whiffy |  |  |  |  | smelly *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 4:* Guide: "Worse in 1858!"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:4
# text = Guide: "Worse in 1858!"
1	Guide	guide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	4	punct	_	_
3	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	Worse	bad	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	1	acl:relcl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	1858	1858	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 5:* Why did things get better?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:5
# text = Why did things get better?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	4	advmod	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | past · do-support | things |  |  |  |  | good *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bazalgette's sewers carried waste away from the river in the city

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:o1:1
# text = Bazalgette's sewers carried waste away from the river in the city
1	Bazalgette	Bazalgette	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	's	PART	POS	_	1	case	_	_
3	sewers	sewer	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	carried	carry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	waste	waste	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	away	away	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **carry away** | past | Bazalgette's sewers | waste |  | the river |  | in the city; away *property* | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent waste=Theme from river=Initial\_Location |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The river was filled in with concrete, so there was nothing left to smell

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:o2:1
# text = The river was filled in with concrete, so there was nothing left to smell
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	river	river	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	filled	fill	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	concrete	concrete	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
9	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
10	there	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	11	expl	_	_
11	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
12	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	nsubj	_	_
13	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	12	acl	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	smell	smell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fill in** | past · passive |  | the river |  |  |  | with concrete | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP PP.instrument»: subject=Patient with concrete=Instrument |
| 2 | **be** | past | nothing |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **leave** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **smell** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn smell\_emission-43.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
People stopped going to the toilet

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:o3:1
# text = People stopped going to the toilet
1	People	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	going	go	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	xcomp	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	toilet	toilet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stop** | past | People |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Affector clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **go** | gerund | People *not said here* |  |  | the toilet |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme to toilet=Initial\_Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Everyone moved out of London

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe:t12:o4:1
# text = Everyone moved out of London
1	Everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	2	nsubj	_	_
2	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	out	out	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move out** | past | Everyone | London |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent london=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [Cities: why they grow, and how water a…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/t11/)
- next →: [Cities: why they grow, and how water a…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/e1/)
- ↑ back to [Cities: why they grow, and how water and sewers made them safe](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/history/73-cities-why-they-grow-and-how-sewers-made-them-safe/)