---
title: ★★★ «It's very easy to take more than nothing.» If Alice had nothing… — Alice in Wonderland, chapter VII, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: ★★★ «It's very easy to take more than nothing.» If Alice had nothing and then took some tea, which is true? Test 20 · ★ of lesson 14 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter VII, part 2: A Mad Tea-Party (the treacle-well and the garden at last)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency
---

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# Test 20 · ★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter VII, part 2: A Mad Tea-Party…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
★★★ «It's very easy to take more than nothing.» If Alice had nothing and then took some tea, which is true?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Alice, tea · **What happens:** be, take, have · **To what, where:** more, nothing, tea · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 20 · ★ of lesson 14 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter VII, part 2: A Mad Tea-Party (the treacle-well and the garden at last)» of the books course of Mova's primary school. 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/books/14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2/#t20).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* ★★★ «It's very easy to take more than nothing.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:1
# text = ★★★ «It's very easy to take more than nothing.»
1	★	★	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	★	★	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	1	dep	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	★	★	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	1	dep	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	expl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	very	very	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	parataxis	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	csubj	_	_
11	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	10	obj	_	_
12	than	than	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present |  |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  | more |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Theme |

<!-- .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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* If Alice had nothing and then took some tea, which is true?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:2
# text = If Alice had nothing and then took some tea, which is true?
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	Alice	Alice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
6	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	7	advmod	_	_
7	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	9	det	_	_
9	tea	tea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
13	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | Alice | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Patient |
| 2 | **take** | past | Alice *not said here* | some tea |  |  | then |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tea=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | present | some tea |  |  |  |  | true *property* | tree rules |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She took more than nothing but could not take less than nothing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:o1:1
# text = She took more than nothing but could not take less than nothing
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	_
4	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	obl	_	_
6	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
10	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	9	obj	_	_
11	than	than	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | She | more |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Theme |
| 2 | **not** **take** | could | She *not said here* | less |  |  |  | than nothing | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent less=Theme |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She took more than nothing, which is easy, and so she could take less than nothing too, as the Hatter says

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:o2:1
# text = She took more than nothing, which is easy, and so she could take less than nothing too, as the Hatter says
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	obj	_	_
4	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
9	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
14	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	parataxis	_	_
16	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	18	advmod	_	_
17	than	than	ADP	IN	_	16	fixed	_	_
18	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	15	obj	_	_
19	too	too	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
21	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	Hatter	Hatter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	24	nsubj	_	_
24	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | She | more |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent more=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **take** | could | she | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Theme |
| 4 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the Hatter |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Taking more than nothing is impossible for her now

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:o3:1
# text = Taking more than nothing is impossible for her now
1	Taking	take	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	csubj	_	_
2	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	4	advmod	_	_
3	than	than	ADP	IN	_	2	fixed	_	_
4	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	1	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	impossible	impossible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	her	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
9	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | gerund |  | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nothing=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present | Taking |  |  |  | now | for her *= she*; impossible *property* | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She took less tea than nothing, which is easy to do

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:14-alice-a-mad-tea-party-2:t20:o4:1
# text = She took less tea than nothing, which is easy to do
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	took	take	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	tea	tea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	cop	_	_
10	easy	easy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | past | She | less tea |  |  |  | than nothing | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tea=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | easy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **do** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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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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