---
title: Ascertain the function of the device, frequently termed a dead man's… — Trains and the Underground · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the function of the device, frequently termed a dead man's handle, with which the driver's cab is furnished. Exam question 3 of lesson 21 «Trains and the Underground» of the technology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each opti
---

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# Exam question 3 · Trains and the Underground

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the function of the device, frequently termed a dead man's handle, with which the driver's cab is furnished.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** ascertain, term, furnish · **To what, where:** function, handle, cab

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 21 «Trains and the Underground» of the technology 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/technology/21-trains-and-the-underground/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:21-trains-and-the-underground:e3:1
# text = Ascertain the function of the device, frequently termed a dead man's handle, with which the driver's cab is furnished.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	function	function	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	device	device	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	frequently	frequently	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	termed	term	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	parataxis	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	dead	dead	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	's	PART	POS	_	12	case	_	_
14	handle	handle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
16	with	with	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	23	obl	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	driver	driver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	's	PART	POS	_	19	case	_	_
21	cab	cab	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nsubj:pass	_	_
22	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	23	aux:pass	_	_
23	furnished	furnish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	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 function of the device |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent function=Topic |
| 2 | **term** | past |  | a dead man's handle |  |  |  | frequently *property* | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent handle=Theme |
| 3 | **furnish** | present · passive |  | the driver's cab |  |  |  |  | vn fulfilling-13.4.1-1 «NP V NP-Fulfilling PP.theme»: subject=Recipient with which=Theme |

<!-- .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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It enables the driver to steer the train around obstructions

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:21-trains-and-the-underground:e3:o1:1
# text = It enables the driver to steer the train around obstructions
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	enables	enable	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	driver	driver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	steer	steer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	around	around	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	obstructions	obstruction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enable** | present | It | the driver |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **steer** | to-infinitive |  | the train |  | obstructions |  |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent train=Theme around obstruction=Destination |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It accelerates the train automatically in the event of the driver becoming unwell, so as to reach a hospital

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:21-trains-and-the-underground:e3:o2:1
# text = It accelerates the train automatically in the event of the driver becoming unwell, so as to reach a hospital
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	accelerates	accelerate	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	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	automatically	automatically	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	event	event	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	driver	driver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
12	becoming	become	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	11	acl	_	_
13	unwell	unwell	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
15	so	so	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
16	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	reach	reach	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	hospital	hospital	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accelerate** | present | It | the train |  | the event of the driver |  | automatically *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent train=Patient |
| 2 | **become** | gerund | the driver *not said here* |  |  |  |  | unwell *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 3 | **reach** | to-infinitive |  | a hospital |  |  |  |  | vn body\_motion-49.2-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Agent hospital=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It permits passengers to communicate with the signal box

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:21-trains-and-the-underground:e3:o3:1
# text = It permits passengers to communicate with the signal box
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	permits	permit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	passengers	passenger	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	communicate	communicate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	signal	signal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	box	box	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **permit** | present | It | passengers |  |  |  |  | vn allow-64.1-1 «NP V NP S»: agent=Causer passenger=Beneficiary clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **communicate** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with the signal box | vn correspond-36.1 «NP V PP.co-agent PP.theme whether S»: agent=Agent with box=Co-Agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It halts the train automatically should the driver cease to operate it at regular intervals

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:21-trains-and-the-underground:e3:o4:1
# text = It halts the train automatically should the driver cease to operate it at regular intervals
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	halts	halt	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	train	train	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	automatically	automatically	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
6	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	driver	driver	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	cease	cease	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	operate	operate	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	at	at	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	regular	regular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	intervals	interval	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **halt** | present | It | the train |  |  |  | the driver cease *obl* | vn stop-55.4-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Affector train=Eventuality |
| 2 | **operate** | to-infinitive |  | train |  | regular intervals |  |  | vn function-105.2.1-1 «NP V NP PP»: agent=Theme it=Attribute |

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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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- next →: [Trains and the Underground, exam 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/21-trains-and-the-underground/e4/)
- ↑ back to [Trains and the Underground](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/technology/21-trains-and-the-underground/)