---
title: Ascertain the means whereby the pilot of a hot-air balloon may alter… — Airports, the black box, helicopters a… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the means whereby the pilot of a hot-air balloon may alter the direction of travel. Exam question 3 of lesson 23 «Airports, the black box, helicopters and drones» of the technology course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; 
---

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# Exam question 3 · Airports, the black box, helicopters and drones

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the means whereby the pilot of a hot-air balloon may alter the direction of travel.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, the, pilot · **What happens:** ascertain, mean, alter · **To what, where:** direction · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 23 «Airports, the black box, helicopters and drones» 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/23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones:e3:1
# text = Ascertain the means whereby the pilot of a hot-air balloon may alter the direction of travel.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
4	whereby	whereby	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	14	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pilot	pilot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
9	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	balloon	balloon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
13	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	alter	alter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	direction	direction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	travel	travel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **alter** | may | the pilot of a air balloon | the direction of travel |  |  |  | whereby *property* | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent direction=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 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By ascending or descending in order to encounter winds blowing in other directions

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones:e3:o1:1
# text = By ascending or descending in order to encounter winds blowing in other directions
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ascending	ascend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	descending	descend	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	conj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	order	order	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	encounter	encounter	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	winds	wind	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	blowing	blow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	directions	direction	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascend** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **descend** | gerund |  |  |  | order |  |  | vn meander-47.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **encounter** | to-infinitive |  | winds |  |  |  |  | vn encounter-30.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer wind=Stimulus |
| 4 | **blow** | gerund | winds *not said here* |  |  | other directions |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V apart»: agent=Patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By rowing with oars against the air

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones:e3:o2:1
# text = By rowing with oars against the air
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	rowing	row	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	oars	oar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
5	against	against	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **row** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | with oars; against the air | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By the operation of a rudder affixed to the basket and turned by means of a wheel

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones:e3:o3:1
# text = By the operation of a rudder affixed to the basket and turned by means of a wheel
1	By	by	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	operation	operation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	rudder	rudder	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	affixed	affix	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	basket	basket	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	turned	turn	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	conj	_	_
13	by	by	ADP	IN	_	12	obl	_	_
14	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	wheel	wheel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **affix** | participle |  | a rudder *not said here* |  |  |  | to the basket | vn tape-22.4 «NP V ADV-Middle PP»: agent=Patient to basket=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **turn** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP.theme V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | by the operation of a rudder; of a wheel | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **operate** |  |  | a rudder |  |  |  |  | nom operation «state transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
By directing the burner horizontally

```conllu
# sent_id = question:technology:23-airports-black-box-helicopters-drones:e3:o4:1
# text = By directing the burner horizontally
1	By	by	SCONJ	IN	_	2	mark	_	_
2	directing	direct	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	burner	burner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	horizontally	horizontally	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **direct** | gerund |  | the burner |  |  |  | horizontally *property* | vn supervision-95.2.2-1 «NP V NP.predicate»: agent=Agent burner=Eventuality |

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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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