---
title: Looking back: «If everybody minded their own business, the world wou… — Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: Looking back: «If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster.» What did Alice try to explain then? Test 13 · ★★ of lesson 17 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part 1: The Mock Turtle's Story (the Duchess and her morals)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, 
---

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# Test 13 · ★★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part 1: The Mock Turtle's…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Looking back: «If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster.» What did Alice try to explain then?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** world, everybody, Alice · **What happens:** look back, mind, go, try, explain · **To what, where:** own business, deal

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 13 · ★★ of lesson 17 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part 1: The Mock Turtle's Story (the Duchess and her morals)» 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/17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1/#t13).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Looking back: «If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster.»

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:1
# text = Looking back: «If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster.»
1	Looking	look	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	advcl	_	_
2	back	back	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	1	punct	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	everybody	everybody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	7	nsubj	_	_
7	minded	mind	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
8	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
9	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
16	round	round	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	deal	deal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
19	faster	fast	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	15	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look back** | gerund | the world *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |
| 2 | **mind** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | past | everybody | their own business |  |  |  |  | vn caring-75.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent business=Theme |
| 3 | **go** *in a quote* | would | the world |  |  | a deal |  | fast *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme round deal=Initial\_Location |

<!-- .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:* What did Alice try to explain then?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:2
# text = What did Alice try to explain then?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	Alice	Alice	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	try	try	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past · do-support | Alice |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | Alice *not said here* |  |  |  | then |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis, and that people mind their business all day long

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:o1:1
# text = That the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis, and that people mind their business all day long
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
11	round	round	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	axis	axis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
18	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	nsubj	_	_
19	mind	mind	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
20	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	21	nmod:poss	_	_
21	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	_
22	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	23	det	_	_
23	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obl:unmarked	_	_
24	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	19	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | that earth |  |  |  | hour |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **turn round** | to-infinitive | that earth *not said here* |  |  | earth's axis |  | round *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme on axis=Trajectory |
| 3 | **mind** | present | people | people's business |  |  | day | long *property* | vn caring-75.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent business=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the earth is round and turns about the sun

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:o2:1
# text = That the earth is round and turns about the sun
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	round	round	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	turns	turn	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	conj	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | that earth |  |  |  |  | round *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **turn** | present | that earth *not said here* |  |  |  |  | about the sun | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme about sun=Trajectory |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:o3:1
# text = That the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	twenty	twenty	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	four	four	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
8	hours	hour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
11	round	round	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	axis	axis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | that earth |  |  |  | hour |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **turn round** | to-infinitive | that earth *not said here* |  |  | earth's axis |  | round *property* | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V PP.trajectory»: agent=Theme on axis=Trajectory |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the sun takes a year to go round the earth

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t13:o4:1
# text = That the sun takes a year to go round the earth
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	sun	sun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	takes	take	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	year	year	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	go	go	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
9	round	round	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	earth	earth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **take** | present | that sun |  |  |  | year |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **go** | to-infinitive | that sun *not said here* |  |  | the earth |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme round earth=Initial\_Location |

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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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- ↑ back to [Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part 1: The Mock Turtle's Story (the Duchess and her morals)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1/)