pg503, Whittington and His Cat, part 49: a hungry boy is taken in, buys a cat, and sends her to sea

Tests: 4 of 14 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★ · Understood: 12 of 18 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 1462 of the books course of Mova's primary school, as Mova's small model took its tests: it had read this lesson and the ones before it and learned from their exercises. Each test shows the options in the order the student saw them, its choice, the right answer, the score of every option and why it chose.

Every question of this lesson and each of its options parsed by Mova, with trees and pragmatics: the lesson's questions in the corpora.

Test 1 · ★ · wrong ✗

Dude, why'd Whittington lie down outside that merchant's gaff?

1. He was tired from the long road — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He was starving and too weak to stand — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. He had walked all the way from the country and had no food for days — no support
4. He was hungry and lonely that night — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★ · wrong ✗

Bruv, the cook was proper mean, yeah? What did she threaten him with?

1. To throw him into the river with the rats — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. To scald him — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. To starve him — no support
4. To have him sent to prison for the whole winter — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★ · right ✓

Mate, what did Whittington's penny actually buy?

1. A cat — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 0
2. Tea — score 0
3. Some ale — score 0
4. Ink — score 0

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 0, tied with another option at 0 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 20, line 17: ««Beautiful Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in a hot tureen!» A tureen is a big deep dish for serving soup; «pennyworth» means as much as a penny buys; in the…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «buy» (+1). Against it: the same doer «penny» (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★ · wrong ✗

Ngl, the cat was a good mouser, innit? What did she do to the rats?

1. Ate them — score 0
2. She scared them off — ✓ the right answer · score 0
3. She hunted them down — ← Mova's choice · score 3
4. She caught every rat and left them all dead on the floor — score 0

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 3 with score 3, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1462, line 11: «Why he could not sleep: rats and mice "ran over the poor boy's nose" in the garret.», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+2); a different doer (counts against) (+1). The right option, 2, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★ · right ✓

Lowkey, why'd Whittington hide the cat?

1. Scared the cook would beat her — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. To feed her — no support
3. Feared the master would sell her — no support
4. Wanted to keep her warm — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★ · wrong ✗

Yo, what did the servants send out on the ship?

1. Things to sell at sea — no support
2. Their own cargo of cloth and trinkets for the far-off trading ports — score 5
3. Goods to trade abroad — ← Mova's choice · score 6
4. Stuff to try their luck — ✓ the right answer · score 6

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 6, tied with another option at 6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 59, line 8: «Next he took «a ship that was trading to Sardinia and Corsica», glad «to feel the fresh breeze and the sea-spray in my face once more».», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «trade» (+3); the same doer «ship» (+3). The right option, 4, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★ · right ✓

Who sent the cat off to sea?

1. The cook — score 1
2. Whittington — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
3. The servants of the house, all together — score -1
4. The factor — no support

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 6, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1462, line 4: «When the merchant's ship sails, everyone sends goods to try their luck, but Whittington has only his cat, so he sends her too.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same doer «whittington» (+2); the same thing acted on «cat» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★ · right ✓

What did Bow bells say to him, bro?

1. Turn again, Whittington, you shall be Lord Mayor of the city — score -6
2. Turn again, Whittington — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score -6
3. Come back, Whittington, dear — no support
4. Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London, and be rich — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score -6, tied with another option at -6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 332, line 3: «It is Tink, muddy and out of breath, and she tells him Wendy and the boys have been taken to the pirate ship.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. Against it: it fills the role the question asks for (-1); the same thing acted on «boys» (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★ · wrong ✗

Mad, what did Whittington reckon being Lord Mayor would mean?

1. Having a grand house — score 2
2. Wearing a fine cloak — score 2
3. Living in a great house with servants and a horse of his own — ← Mova's choice · score 6
4. Riding in a fine coach — ✓ the right answer · score 6

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 3 with score 6, tied with another option at 6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1166, line 18: «Old word: "lords" in "live like great lords" means rich, important gentlemen who owned land and had servants.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «live» (+3); the same doer «lords» (+3). The right option, 4, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 10 · ★ · wrong ✗

Sus, why did the King's turban fall off?

1. A bird had flown into his face while he was sitting on the throne — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He had seen the most miraculous cat in all the land — no support
3. His heart heaved with joy — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. He was struck with wonder — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 11 · ★ · wrong ✗

Ay, what was the King willing to pay for the cat?

1. Food — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Silver — no support
3. Gold and jewels — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Silver and rubies — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★ · wrong ✗

Chill, what did the Queen cry when she stroked puss?

1. Soft, soft! — ← Mova's choice · score 6
2. What a lovely creature, what a sweet little friend! — score 6
3. Puss, puss, dear — score 6
4. Putty, putty! — ✓ the right answer · score 6

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 6, tied with another option at 6 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1416, line 1: «The mouse queen calls a council, but no mouse knows where the bronze ring is.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «call» (+3); the same doer «mouse queen» (+3). The right option, 4, scored 6. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 13 · ★ · wrong ✗

Real talk, what did the cat do in the Queen's lap?

1. She purred and sang and then leapt out of the window onto the lawn — ← Mova's choice · score 2
2. Purred loudly and cuddled close — score 2
3. She climbed onto the royal bed and purred until the morning light — score 0
4. Purred and sang herself to sleep — ✓ the right answer · score 2

Why: It took the question to ask what is done. It chose option 1 with score 2, tied with another option at 2 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1462, line 5: «The cat is sold to a king in Africa, who gives gold and jewels for her because she clears his palace of rats and mice.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «cat» (+1); the same thing acted on «palace» (+1). The right option, 4, scored 2. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 14 · ★ · wrong ✗

Ya, who did the factor think of when he saw the rats?

1. Poor Whittington and his cat — ✓ the right answer · score 0
2. The cook — score 0
3. The King — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Whittington's poor master — score 1

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 3 with score 4, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 1043, line 2: «King Conn sees a young stranger still standing, with no seat, and asks him his name.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same doer «king» (+2). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). The right option, 1, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗

Upon what object did the protagonist first recline in a state of extreme debility?

1. Upon the stone doorstep of a wealthy merchant named Mr. Fitzwarren at the market — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. On the threshold of a rich old shop in London's street — no support
3. Upon the threshold of a merchant named Mr. Fitzwarren — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Beside the gate of a merchant named Mr. Smith — no support

Why: No option found support in what it remembers, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓

By what means was the vessel bearing the cat driven upon the coast of Barbary?

1. By a fierce gale — no support
2. By fog — no support
3. By contrary winds — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
4. By storm — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask a circumstance (with what, when, how). It chose option 3 with score 4, tied with another option at 4 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1280, line 16: «Old word: "crone" means an old, ugly woman; today people use it as a rude name for a spiteful old woman.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same thing acted on «word» (+3); it fills the role the question asks for (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

What reward did the sovereign tender in exchange for the creature?

1. A great palace with all its gardens and a thousand servants — ← Mova's choice · score 0
2. Half of the kingdom and the princess's hand in marriage — score 0
3. Rich silks and rubies — score 0
4. Gold and jewels — ✓ the right answer · score 0

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 0, tied with another option at 0 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 1111, line 16: «Why does Daniel swap his horse and armour? The lady offers "her shift and her weapon" in exchange.», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «offer» (+3). Against it: a different thing acted on (counts against) (-1); a different doer (counts against) (-2). The right option, 4, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · right ✓

What sentiment moved Miss Alice to succour the poor boy?

1. Compassion — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 1
2. A sudden wish to scold the cook for her cruelty — no support
3. Curiosity — score 1
4. A desire to be the hero of the household — no support

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 1 with score 1, tied with another option at 1 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 592, line 10: «On Sundays Ole Miss has Remus read the newspapers to her, and she is so moved that she "couldn't read fer cryin'."», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same thing acted on «miss» (+2). Against it: the same action «move» (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

This page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/books/1462-pg503-part49/