Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank…
Ascertain the means whereby the Rat conveyed the Mole to the bank following the capsize.
Mova's choice: option 2 · The right answer: option 1 · wrong ✗ · Who acts: Rat · What happens: ascertain, mean, convey, follow · To what, where: Mole, bank, capsize · Speech: someone speaks here
This is exam question 2 of lesson 28 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank (the Mole grabs the oars, the boat goes over, and a friendship begins)» of the books 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.
The question
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ascertain | ascertain | VERB | Mood=Imp VerbForm=Fin | 3 means | nsubj |
| 2 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 3 means | nsubj |
| 3 | means | mean | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Pres VerbForm=Fin | root | root |
| 4 | whereby | whereby | ADV | PronType=Int | 7 conveyed | advmod |
| 5 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 6 Rat | det |
| 6 | Rat | Rat | PROPN | Number=Sing | 7 conveyed | nsubj |
| 7 | conveyed | convey | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 3 means | ccomp |
| 8 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 9 Mole | det |
| 9 | Mole | mole | NOUN | Number=Sing | 7 conveyed | obj |
| 10 | to | to | ADP | _ | 12 bank | case |
| 11 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 12 bank | det |
| 12 | bank | bank | NOUN | Number=Sing | 7 conveyed | obl |
| 13 | following | follow | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 7 conveyed | advcl |
| 14 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 15 capsize | det |
| 15 | capsize | capsize | NOUN | Number=Sing | 13 following | obj |
| 16 | . | . | PUNCT | _ | 3 means | punct |
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ascertain | infinitive | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent | ||||||
| 2 | mean | present | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic | ||||||
| 3 | convey | past | the Rat | the Mole | the bank | whereby property | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent mole=Topic to bank=Recipient | ||
| 4 | follow | gerund | the Rat not said here | the capsize | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent capsize=Theme |
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
Option 1 · ✓ the right answer
A scull beneath each arm, the Rat propelling from behind
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 2 scull | det |
| 2 | scull | scull | NOUN | Number=Sing | root | root |
| 3 | beneath | beneath | ADP | _ | 5 arm | case |
| 4 | each | each | DET | PronType=Tot | 5 arm | det |
| 5 | arm | arm | NOUN | Number=Sing | 2 scull | nmod |
| 6 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 9 propelling | punct |
| 7 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 9 propelling | det |
| 8 | Rat | Rat | PROPN | Number=Sing | 9 propelling | compound |
| 9 | propelling | propelling | NOUN | Number=Sing | 2 scull | conj |
| 10 | from | from | ADP | _ | 11 behind | case |
| 11 | behind | behind | ADV | _ | 9 propelling | nmod |
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.
Option 2 · ← Mova's choice
The Rat held a scull beneath each arm and kicked from behind, while steering the upturned boat towards the reeds for a long time
The tree, 24 words
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 2 Rat | det |
| 2 | Rat | Rat | PROPN | Number=Sing | 3 held | nsubj |
| 3 | held | hold | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | root | root |
| 4 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 5 scull | det |
| 5 | scull | scull | NOUN | Number=Sing | 3 held | obj |
| 6 | beneath | beneath | ADP | _ | 8 arm | case |
| 7 | each | each | DET | PronType=Tot | 8 arm | det |
| 8 | arm | arm | NOUN | Number=Sing | 3 held | obl |
| 9 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 10 kicked | cc |
| 10 | kicked | kick | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 8 arm | conj |
| 11 | from | from | ADP | _ | 12 behind | case |
| 12 | behind | behind | ADV | _ | 10 kicked | obl |
| 13 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 15 steering | punct |
| 14 | while | while | SCONJ | _ | 15 steering | mark |
| 15 | steering | steer | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | 3 held | advcl |
| 16 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 18 boat | det |
| 17 | upturned | upturn | VERB | Tense=Past VerbForm=Part Voice=Pass | 18 boat | amod |
| 18 | boat | boat | NOUN | Number=Sing | 15 steering | obj |
| 19 | towards | towards | ADP | _ | 21 reeds | case |
| 20 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 21 reeds | det |
| 21 | reeds | reed | NOUN | Number=Plur | 15 steering | obl |
| 22 | for | for | ADP | _ | 25 time | case |
| 23 | a | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 25 time | det |
| 24 | long | long | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 25 time | amod |
| 25 | time | time | NOUN | Number=Sing | 15 steering | obl |
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | hold | past | the Rat | a scull | each arm | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent scull=Theme beneath arm=Location | |||
| 2 | kick | participle | the Rat not said here | vn split-23.2 «NP V PP.co-patient»: agent=Patient from behind=Co-Patient | |||||
| 3 | steer | gerund | the Rat not said here | the upturned boat | the reeds | time | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent boat=Theme towards reed=Destination | ||
| 4 | upturn | participle | tree rules |
Option 3
A rope round his waist, the Rat towing him from the far bank
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | a | DET | Definite=Ind PronType=Art | 2 rope | det |
| 2 | rope | rope | NOUN | Number=Sing | 9 towing | nsubj |
| 3 | round | round | ADP | _ | 5 waist | case |
| 4 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 5 waist | nmod:poss |
| 5 | waist | waist | NOUN | Number=Sing | 2 rope | nmod |
| 6 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 2 rope | punct |
| 7 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 8 Rat | det |
| 8 | Rat | Rat | PROPN | Number=Sing | 9 towing | nsubj |
| 9 | towing | tow | VERB | Tense=Pres VerbForm=Part | root | root |
| 10 | him | he | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 9 towing | obj |
| 11 | from | from | ADP | _ | 14 bank | case |
| 12 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 14 bank | det |
| 13 | far | far | ADJ | Degree=Pos | 14 bank | amod |
| 14 | bank | bank | NOUN | Number=Sing | 9 towing | obl |
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | tow | gerund | a rope round rope's waist | Rat | the far bank | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial_location»: agent=Agent he=Theme from bank=Initial_Location |
Option 4
The Rat grabbed the Mole's neck and swam with him in his teeth, towing the boat behind him all the way to the bank
The tree, 25 words
The words, one row each (CoNLL-U)
| # | word | lemma | UPOS | features | head | relation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 2 Rat | det |
| 2 | Rat | Rat | PROPN | Number=Sing | 3 grabbed | nsubj |
| 3 | grabbed | grab | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | root | root |
| 4 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 5 Mole | det |
| 5 | Mole | mole | NOUN | Number=Sing | 7 neck | nmod:poss |
| 6 | 's | 's | PART | _ | 5 Mole | case |
| 7 | neck | neck | NOUN | Number=Sing | 3 grabbed | obj |
| 8 | and | and | CCONJ | _ | 9 swam | cc |
| 9 | swam | swim | VERB | Mood=Ind Number=Sing Person=3 Tense=Past VerbForm=Fin | 3 grabbed | conj |
| 10 | with | with | ADP | _ | 11 him | case |
| 11 | him | he | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 9 swam | obl |
| 12 | in | in | ADP | _ | 14 teeth | case |
| 13 | his | his | PRON | Case=Gen Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 Poss=Yes PronType=Prs | 14 teeth | nmod:poss |
| 14 | teeth | tooth | NOUN | Number=Plur | 9 swam | obl |
| 15 | , | , | PUNCT | _ | 16 towing | punct |
| 16 | towing | tow | VERB | VerbForm=Ger | 23 way | csubj |
| 17 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 18 boat | det |
| 18 | boat | boat | NOUN | Number=Sing | 16 towing | obj |
| 19 | behind | behind | ADP | _ | 20 him | case |
| 20 | him | he | PRON | Case=Acc Gender=Masc Number=Sing Person=3 PronType=Prs | 16 towing | obl |
| 21 | all | all | DET | PronType=Tot | 23 way | det:predet |
| 22 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 23 way | det |
| 23 | way | way | NOUN | Number=Sing | 9 swam | parataxis |
| 24 | to | to | ADP | _ | 26 bank | case |
| 25 | the | the | DET | Definite=Def PronType=Art | 26 bank | det |
| 26 | bank | bank | NOUN | Number=Sing | 23 way | nmod |
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | grab | past | the Rat | the Mole's neck | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent neck=Theme | ||||
| 2 | swim | past | the Rat not said here | Rat's teeth | with Rat | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in tooth=Trajectory | |||
| 3 | tow | gerund | the boat | behind Rat | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=Theme |
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.
This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh/e2/