The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, part 2: The Further Adventures of Toad (into the canal, the stolen horse and «a shilling a leg»)

Tests: 5 of 17 right · Exam: 2 of 4 right · Kind: ★★★ · Understood: 15 of 21 · Run: 2026-10-18, commit f3c23ea72

Lesson 62 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 ✓

Ellie, proper tamping (furious): «that barge-woman was well out of order chucking him in the canal!» What started it?

1. Toad was rude — score 6
2. Toad lost his temper and called her rude names first — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 7
3. Toad shouted rude names at the barge-woman first, and then she threw him in — score 7
4. Toad shouted insults at her first — score 7

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 7, tied with another option at 7 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 62, line 1: «Laughed at, Toad loses his temper completely. He shouts that she is a «common, low, fat barge-woman» and that he is a well-known, distinguished Toad. She peers…», 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 doer «toad» (+2); the same action «lose» (+1); the same thing acted on «temper» (+1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 2 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Is it TRUE or FALSE? «Toad sold his own horse to the gipsy.»

1. False. — no support
2. False: the horse belonged to the barge-woman — Toad had stolen it — ✓ the right answer · score 5
3. True: Toad sold the horse to the gipsy for six shillings and sixpence and a bowl of stew. — ← Mova's choice · score 7
4. True: he sold it for six shillings. — score 7

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 7, tied with another option at 7 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 62, line 4: «Toad pretends the horse is a prize animal he could never sell — then asks how much. «Shillin' a leg,» says the man: four shillings. He raises it to five. Toad…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same doer «toad» (+3); the same action «sell» (+2); the same thing acted on «horse» (+2). The right option, 2, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 3 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Why does Toad say «I've heard that song before»?

1. Because people keep shouting stop at him — score 2
2. Everyone chasing him keeps shouting «Stop, stop, stop!», like the men on the engine — ✓ the right answer · score 1
3. Because the song is from the engine — ← Mova's choice · score 4
4. Everyone chasing him keeps shouting «Stop, stop, stop!», just as the men on the engine did in the car — score 1

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 3 with score 4, against 2 for the next best. Its support: lesson 55, line 15: «His reasons: «I don't hold with motor-cars», «I don't hold with being ordered about by policemen when I'm on my own engine», and «the sight of an animal in tea…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same place «own engine» (+2); the same light verb (be, have, do, get, go) (+2). The right option, 2, scored 1. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 4 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Jordan: «gipsy food was mid (just average) innit, Toad hardly ate any.» Put it right.

1. It was a fine stew, but Toad said it was too salty and refused to eat any of it. — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. It was lovely; Toad ate little. — score 5
3. It was the most beautiful stew in the world; Toad stuffed himself — ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. It was wonderful stew; Toad ate plenty of it. — score 5

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 1 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 61, line 17: «Old words: «I dare say» = I suppose; «post-haste» = in a great hurry; «humbug» = a fake, a pretender; «a dish-clout» = a dishcloth; «I'll lay» = I bet.», reached through a sentence linked to the one the question matched. What matched: the same action «say» (+3); the same doer «toad» (+2). The right option, 3, scored 5. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 5 · ★★★ · right ✓

«Gipsies were very fond of horse-dealing.» What should a reader today think of this line?

1. It is a fair description of the gipsies, since they dealt in horses for centuries. — no support
2. It is an old idea about a whole people; we should not judge anyone by their group — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 13
3. It is a stereotype about one people; it is an accurate fact. — no support
4. It is just a fact. — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 2 with score 13, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 62, line 13: «The book calls the man a «gipsy» and says gipsies were «very fond of horse-dealing». That is an old idea about a whole people; today we know it is wrong to jud…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «judge» (+5); it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same thing acted on «anyone» (+3); the same circumstance (+3). Against it: one says «not», the other does not (counts against) (-2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 6 · ★★★ · right ✓

What would have happened if Toad had walked away without bargaining?

1. He would have stayed hungry and penniless, with a stolen horse — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
2. He would have stayed hungry and penniless, still carrying a stolen horse everywhere he went — score 5
3. He would have stayed hungry with the horse. — score 5
4. He would have been caught by the barge-woman. — score 4

Why: It took the question to ask what happens next. It chose option 1 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 62, line 4: «Toad pretends the horse is a prize animal he could never sell — then asks how much. «Shillin' a leg,» says the man: four shillings. He raises it to five. Toad…», reached through what followed the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «toad» (+5). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 7 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Why was any money «all clear profit» to Toad?

1. The horse had cost nothing to keep. — ← Mova's choice · score 1
2. The horse had cost him nothing, because he had simply taken it from the barge-woman without paying anything — score 0
3. The horse had cost him nothing — he had taken it — ✓ the right answer · score 0
4. The money was not his to spend. — no support

Why: It took the question to ask why something happens (its cause). It chose option 1 with score 1, against 0 for the next best. Its support: lesson 54, line 11: «Struggling with the cotton gown, he reaches «where all waistcoat pockets are eternally situated» and finds «not only no money, but no pocket to hold it, and no…», reached through the cause of the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same action «hold» (+2); a different doer (counts against) (+1). Against it: a different thing acted on (counts against) (-2). The right option, 3, scored 0. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 8 · ★★★ · right ✓

Ruby, «proper job!» (well done, West Country): «Toad was dead honest in that deal.» Is she right?

1. No: he cheated the gipsy about the price. — no support
2. No: he sold a stolen horse and told lies about it — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 3
3. No: he sold a stolen horse, told lies about its breeding and cheated the man over the price — score 3
4. Yes. — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 2 with score 3, tied with another option at 3 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 62, line 4: «Toad pretends the horse is a prize animal he could never sell — then asks how much. «Shillin' a leg,» says the man: four shillings. He raises it to five. Toad…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «sell» (+2); the same thing acted on «horse» (+2). Against it: a different doer (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 9 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: in chapter II, the old grey horse pulled Toad's caravan «without having been consulted». What happened to that caravan?

1. It was sold for scrap. — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. It was wrecked. — no support
3. A motor-car crashed into it. — no support
4. A motor-car frightened the horse and the caravan ended in a ditch, a wreck — ✓ 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 10 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: in chapter VIII, what food first began to cheer Toad up in prison?

1. Toast — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. A large feast of roast chicken, plum pudding and wine sent in by his friends — no support
3. Hot buttered toast and cocoa — no support
4. Bubble-and-squeak, then hot buttered toast and tea — ✓ 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: in chapter I, who fell into the river when a boat tipped over, and who pulled him out?

1. Toad fell in. — score 5
2. Mole fell; Rat saved him. — ← Mova's choice · score 7
3. Toad fell in; the Badger pulled him out. — score 5
4. Mole fell in; the Rat pulled him out — ✓ the right answer · score 7

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. It chose option 2 with score 7, tied with another option at 7 (the first shown, or the one claiming less beyond what it knows, wins). Its support: lesson 28, line 2: «The Mole digs at the water, misses it completely, flips over onto the Rat, grabs the side — and Sploosh! The boat turns over. The water is freezing; the Mole s…», 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 doer «firm paw» (+2); a different thing acted on (counts against) (+2). The right option, 4, scored 7. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 12 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: in chapter VI, the magistrates gave Toad twenty years. Which of his offences did the Clerk say deserved the most years?

1. Stealing the motor-car — ← Mova's choice · score 5
2. Stealing cars — score 5
3. Cheeking the police — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. Joyriding — no support

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. It chose option 1 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 48, line 14: «Three offences: «first, of stealing a valuable motor-car; secondly, of driving to the public danger; and, thirdly, of gross impertinence to the rural police» (…», reached through the option's own match among the sentences about the question's things. What matched: the same action «steal» (+2); it fills the role the question asks for (+2); the same thing acted on «valuable motor car» (+1). The right option, 3, found no support in what it remembers. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 13 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Looking back: after escaping in chapter VI, Toad called his trick «brain against brute force». How does this part show the same Toad?

1. He is still clever. — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. He again thinks he can lie his way out. — no support
3. He again thinks his cleverness wins, even when it is really stealing and lying — ✓ the right answer · no support
4. He still thinks he is clever. — 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 14 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

Which word sums up Toad's mood at the END of this part?

1. Pleased with himself and very boastful — ← Mova's choice · score 4
2. Glum — no support
3. Cheerful — no support
4. Conceited — ✓ the right answer · score 4

Why: It took the question to ask who or what does it. 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 50, line 18: «The English word «panic» comes from Pan's name: the old Greeks said sudden wild fear in lonely places came from him. The book says carefully that this is NOT p…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same doer «english word» (+2). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-2). The right option, 4, scored 4. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 15 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

★★★ The man says five shillings is «three-and-sixpence more than the animal's worth». So what does he say the horse is worth?

1. Two shillings and sixpence — ← Mova's choice · score 8
2. One shilling — score 8
3. One shilling and sixpence in cash and a bag of oats — score 8
4. One shilling and sixpence — ✓ the right answer · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. 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 62, line 16: ««Shillin' a leg.» A horse has four legs, so that is four shillings; the man then offers five shillings, saying that is «three-and-sixpence more than the animal…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+4); the same thing acted on «four legs» (+3); a different doer (counts against) (+1). The right option, 4, scored 8. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 16 · ★★★ · wrong ✗

★★★ Toad got six shillings and sixpence. How much MORE is that than the first offer of «a shilling a leg»?

1. Three shillings and sixpence — ← Mova's choice · score 8
2. Sixpence — score 6
3. Two shillings — score 8
4. Two shillings and sixpence — ✓ the right answer · score 8

Why: It took the question to ask what it is done to. 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 62, line 5: «Toad shouts: «You common, low, fat barge-woman! ... I will not be laughed at by a bargewoman!» — rude, snobbish words; calling someone «common» or «fat» to hur…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: it fills the role the question asks for (+5); the same thing acted on «words» (+3). The right option, 4, scored 8. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Test 17 · ★★★ · right ✓

★★★ With 12 pence in a shilling, how many pence is six shillings and sixpence?

1. 78 — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · no support
2. 780 — no support
3. 6 — no support
4. 12 — no support

Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 1 · formal language · right ✓

Identify the means by which the barge-woman ascertained Toad's true identity.

1. By peering closely — no support
2. By peering very closely beneath the brim of his bonnet at his face — no support
3. By peering closely beneath his bonnet — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 6
4. By looking under his bonnet — no support

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 6, the only option with support. Its support: lesson 62, line 1: «Laughed at, Toad loses his temper completely. He shouts that she is a «common, low, fat barge-woman» and that he is a well-known, distinguished Toad. She peers…», reached through the remembered sentence the question matched. What matched: the same circumstance (+4); the same action «peer» (+2). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 2 · formal language · right ✓

Ascertain the course of action adopted by Toad in pursuit of «solid revenge».

1. He stole the horse — score 4
2. He unhitched the horse and rode off — score 4
3. He detached the barge-horse from the tow-rope and departed upon it — ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer · score 5
4. He rode away — score 3

Why: It took the question to ask which statement is true. It chose option 3 with score 5, against 4 for the next best. Its support: lesson 62, line 2: «Toad swims to the bank, the wet cotton gown dragging at him, and runs after the barge wanting revenge. She calls out a last joke about ironing his face. So Toa…», reached through the same lesson line as the sentence the question matched. What matched: the same doer «toad» (+3); the same thing acted on «horse» (+2); the same circumstance (+1). Against it: a different action (counts against) (-1). · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

Exam question 3 · formal language · wrong ✗

It is given that the first offer was «a shilling a leg» for a horse. Compute the sum thereby offered.

1. Three shillings — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Four pence — no support
3. Two shillings — no support
4. Four shillings — ✓ 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

Exam question 4 · formal language · wrong ✗

Select the response which most accurately characterises the terms upon which the transaction was concluded.

1. Six shillings in cash — ← Mova's choice · no support
2. Ten shillings in cash, to be paid at the next market day, together with a loaf of bread for the journey home — no support
3. Six shillings and a hot breakfast — no support
4. Six shillings and sixpence in cash, together with as much breakfast as Toad could eat at one sitting — ✓ the right answer · no support

Why: Nothing it remembers matched the question, so it guessed: it took the first option shown. · the question and its options parsed, with trees and pragmatics

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