The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 3: The River Bank (the Otter, a glimpse of Badger, and Toad in his new boat)

Tests: 9 of 17 right · Exam: 1 of 4 right · Kind: ★★ · Understood: 13 of 21 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 27 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. The lesson itself, sentence by sentence with trees and pragmatics: the lesson in the corpora.

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 · ★★ · right ✓

Kai, yeah nah (no) about it: «the Otter was dead rude and the Mole didn't like him.» Put it right.

1. They were friends «forthwith» — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. They were old friends who had known each other for years and years — no support
3. They became strangers — no support
4. They were not friends yet — 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 · ★★ · right ✓

The Otter says he wanted «a moment's peace» and then «I beg pardon—I don't exactly mean that». Why does he apologise?

1. It sounded like he didn't want to see them — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
2. He felt a bit ashamed of lunch — no support
3. He was feeling rather tired — no support
4. He was rude — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 27, line 9: «The Otter says he came to the backwater for «a moment's peace» and then says sorry because that sounds as if he didn't want to meet them — he puts his foot in…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «want» (+3); the same doer «otter» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★★ · wrong ✗

The Otter says Toad has «no stability—especially in a boat». What's the double joke?

1. Toad keeps changing hobbies, and his boat rocks too — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Toad changes hobbies so the boat keeps tipping — no support
3. Toad's boat is unstable because Toad keeps moving around and laughing at everybody on board — no support
4. Toad has no stability because his boat is made of wood and sinks in the river — ← Mova's choice · score 5

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 27, line 3: «Toad is out on the river, says the Otter, in a brand-new racing boat with new clothes and new everything. The Rat and the Otter laugh: Toad is always mad about…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same place «river» (+3); the same doer «toad» (+2). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★★ · right ✓

Ruby, bit delulu (believing something silly): «Toad sails, punts and house-boats every day, he loves all three, forever.» Put it right.

1. He does one at a time and gets bored — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. He tries all three together every day and never gets bored of any of them at all — no support
3. He keeps every hobby for life — no support
4. He sells off every boat he owns — 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 5 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Why do the Rat and the Otter laugh when they hear about Toad's new boat?

1. Toad had shouted at them from the middle of the river and they found it amusing — ← Mova's choice · score 4
2. They think he cannot row — score 1
3. They know it's just his latest craze — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. They think he is showing off again — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 4, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 27, line 15: «Toad is «a short, stout figure—splashing badly and rolling a good deal, but working his hardest»; when the Rat calls to him he shakes his head and keeps on row…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «call» (+3); the same circumstance (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★★ · right ✓

Badger says «H'm! Company» and leaves. What does the Rat say about him?

1. He is too fond of Society — no support
2. He is always cross — no support
3. He likes being alone — score 1
4. He «Simply hates Society!» — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 3, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 25, line 18: «The Rat: «there is nothing—absolute nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.» While saying it he hit the bank and fell on his back wi…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same property (+2); the same doer «rat» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★★ · right ✓

Did the Otter vanish because he was angry?

1. No, he was simply bored — no support
2. No: he dived after the May-fly — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 9
3. Yes, he was rather angry — no support
4. Yes, he was furious at the Mole for laughing at his story and wanted to escape — score 1

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 9, against 1 for the next best. Its support: lesson 27, line 16: ««A swirl of water and a "cloop!" and the May-fly was visible no more. Neither was the Otter.» — the Otter dived after the May-fly to eat it. Then «again there…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same circumstance (+4); the same doer «otter» (+3); the same action «dive» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★★ · wrong ✗

The Mole sees the bubbles again after the Otter vanishes. What does that tell him?

1. The Otter has fallen asleep underwater — no support
2. He is coming back up soon — no support
3. The Otter is swimming away underwater — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. The Otter has come up for air somewhere far downstream and is waving to them — ← Mova's choice · score 1

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 4 with score 1, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 27, line 9: «The Otter says he came to the backwater for «a moment's peace» and then says sorry because that sounds as if he didn't want to meet them — he puts his foot in…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «otter» (+1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★★ · wrong ✗

What would a polite animal on the river bank say when a friend suddenly disappears?

1. Well, that's odd — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Nothing at all — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. Hello — no support
4. Goodbye, old friend — 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 10 · ★★ · wrong ✗

«the Mole was bent on enjoying everything». What does «bent on» mean?

1. Stooping over and carefully examining something on the ground — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Bending down to pick up every single thing in the boat — no support
3. Set on doing — no support
4. Determined to — ✓ the right answer · 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 ✗

Looking back: what did the Rat say about how crowded the bank is?

1. Busy folk always want something from you — ← Mova's choice · score 4
2. Too crowded, which the Rat hates, because the Mole always wants to go home early — score 3
3. Everyone on it wants you to join in — no support
4. Too crowded — everyone wants you to do something — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 with score 4, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 25, line 18: «The Rat: «there is nothing—absolute nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.» While saying it he hit the bank and fell on his back wi…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same circumstance (+3); the same property (+1). The right option, 4, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: before lunch the Rat named Badger as living where?

1. Beside the old mill pond — ← Mova's choice · score 8
2. In the heart of the Wild Wood — ✓ the right answer · score 8
3. On the far side of the hill — score 8
4. In the village — score 8

Why: It took the question to ask where. It chose option 1 with score 8, tied with another option at 8 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 26, line 11: «The Rat lives «By it and with it and on it and in it»: «It's brother and sister to me, and aunts, and company, and food and drink, and (naturally) washing. It'…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «rat» (+5); the same action «live» (+3). The right option, 2, scored 8. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 13 · ★★ · right ✓

Looking back: what did the Mole do at the backwater before lunch, gasping «O my! O my!» at each packet?

1. Unpacked the basket and laid out every single item on the grass — score 5
2. Unpacked the basket — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
3. Hunted through the whole basket for the knife and forks, grumbling — no support
4. Found the mustard — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 5, tied with another option at 5 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 26, line 5: «The Mole begs to unpack the basket by himself, gasping at every packet, and then, starving after his early start, he tucks in happily.», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «unpack» (+4); the same thing acted on «basket» (+3). Against it: one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 14 · ★★ · right ✓

Looking back: the Mole hasn't been in a boat before today. Who else falls about in a boat in this chapter so far?

1. Toad, whenever he rowed past the Rat and Mole in his new wager-boat — score 4
2. The Rat, when he crashed into the bank — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 10
3. The Badger, once at the bank — no support
4. The Mole, when he tipped over — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 10, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 27, line 5: «The Mole asks to pack the basket too. It's not as fun as unpacking — he finds a forgotten plate, then the Rat points out a fork, and last of all he finds he's…», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+5); the same doer «rat» (+4); a different action (counts against) (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 15 · ★★ · right ✓

★★★ The Otter is «Proud, I'm sure» to meet the Mole, yet earlier said «Greedy beggars!» to them both. Was the Otter cross?

1. No: «Greedy beggars!» was a friendly tease — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. No: he was actually furious, but he was too polite to show it at all — no support
3. Yes, he was very cross — no support
4. Yes: he was cross but hid it by pretending to make a friendly joke at them — 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 16 · ★★ · wrong ✗

★★★ Why is it funny that the Mole sat on the mustard pot?

1. He was hunting everywhere for the Otter, who had hidden under the cloth and the basket to play a trick — no support
2. He was sitting on the cloth, and the mustard pot was spilt on the Rat's coat — ← Mova's choice · score 5
3. He was searching for the cheese, which was hidden in the mud under the boat — no support
4. He was hunting everywhere for packed things, and one was under him the whole time — ✓ the right answer · score 3

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 2 with score 5, against 3 for the next best. Its support: lesson 27, line 5: «The Mole asks to pack the basket too. It's not as fun as unpacking — he finds a forgotten plate, then the Rat points out a fork, and last of all he finds he's…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «sit» (+3); the same doer «mole» (+2). The right option, 4, scored 3. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 17 · ★★ · right ✓

★★★ Which animals has the Mole now actually seen (not only heard about) in chapter I?

1. Rabbits, the Rat, the Otter, Badger and Toad — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 4
2. Toad and Badger — no support
3. The Rat, the Otter, Toad and a Badger — no support
4. Rabbits, the Rat, the Otter and Toad — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 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 26, line 15: «The others are «Weasels—and stoats—and foxes»: «they break out sometimes ... you can't really trust them». The book's animals are characters in a story; real w…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+3); the same thing acted on «rabbits» (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · wrong ✗

Identify the creature whose arrival was heralded by a streak of bubbles upon the surface of the water.

1. The Badger — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. The Otter — ✓ the right answer · no support
3. A fish — no support
4. The Water Rat — 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 · wrong ✗

Ascertain the utterance with which the Badger acknowledged the presence of the party before withdrawing.

1. «Good day» — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. «Hullo, Mole» — no support
3. «H'm! Company» — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. «Hm» — 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 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

Select the response which most accurately characterises Toad's conduct in respect of his pastimes.

1. He adopts each eagerly and soon tires of it — ✓ the right answer · no support
2. He takes up each craze with great enthusiasm, practises it hard, then tires of it and moves on — no support
3. He starts each hobby keenly then drops it — ← Mova's choice · score 5
4. He is clumsy at each craze, and eventually gives up and sells his boats to the Rat — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 5, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 27, line 13: «Toad's crazes so far: «Once, it was nothing but sailing», then punting (pushing a flat boat along with a long pole), then «Last year it was house-boating». «he…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «toad» (+3); the same action «start» (+2). The right option, 1, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 4 · formal language · right ✓

It is given that the Otter vanished in pursuit of a May-fly. State the convention which governed the Rat's response.

1. Etiquette forbade comment on a friend's sudden disappearance — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. Etiquette required silence about the sudden vanishing of a friend — no support
3. Etiquette forbade any comment on a friend's sudden disappearance, and so the Rat kept on eating his lunch quietly — no support
4. Rules of the river forbade comment, so the Rat politely waited for the Otter to explain himself later at home — 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

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