---
title: What would happen if you tried to follow the Duchess's very long mor… — Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: What would happen if you tried to follow the Duchess's very long moral, «Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than...»? Test 5 · ★★ 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, with th
---

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# Test 5 · ★★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part 1: The Mock Turtle's…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What would happen if you tried to follow the Duchess's very long moral, «Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than...»?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** happen, try, follow, not imagine, be · **To what, where:** long moral, yourself

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★ 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/#t5).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t5:1
# text = What would happen if you tried to follow the Duchess's very long moral, «Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than...»?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	3	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Duchess	Duchess	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	14	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	very	very	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	moral	moral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	18	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	imagine	imagine	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
19	yourself	yourself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=2|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	18	obj	_	_
20	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
21	to	to	PART	TO	_	23	mark	_	_
22	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	23	cop	_	_
23	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	20	conj	_	_
24	than	than	ADP	IN	_	23	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	...	...	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | would |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **try** *a condition, not said to happen* | past | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 3 | **follow** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the Duchess's long moral |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent moral=Theme |
| 4 | **not** **imagine** *in a quote* | infinitive | you *not said here* | yourself |  |  |  |  | vn wish-62 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot yourself=Theme |
| 5 | **is** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | otherwise *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You'd get lost: it is a tangle of «not» and «otherwise» that cancels itself out, so nobody could ever repeat it aloud without stopping

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t5:o1:1
# text = You'd get lost: it is a tangle of «not» and «otherwise» that cancels itself out, so nobody could ever repeat it aloud without stopping
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	get	get	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tangle	tangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
18	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
19	cancels	cancel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
20	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	19	obj	_	_
21	out	out	ADP	RP	_	19	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	27	punct	_	_
23	so	so	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
24	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	27	nsubj	_	_
25	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	27	aux	_	_
26	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	27	advmod	_	_
27	repeat	repeat	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	conj	_	_
28	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	27	obj	_	_
29	aloud	aloud	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	_
30	without	without	SCONJ	IN	_	31	mark	_	_
31	stopping	stop	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	27	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | would · passive |  | You |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | a tangle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **cancel out** | present | that | tangle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **repeat** | could | nobody | tangle |  |  | ever | aloud *property* | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |
| 5 | **stop** | gerund | nobody *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP.eventuality V»: agent=Eventuality |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You'd be lost in the tangle of «not» and «otherwise», which is clearly nonsense that the Duchess invented in the kitchen for fun

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t5:o2:1
# text = You'd be lost in the tangle of «not» and «otherwise», which is clearly nonsense that the Duchess invented in the kitchen for fun
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	tangle	tangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
17	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	20	nsubj	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
19	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	20	advmod	_	_
20	nonsense	nonsense	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
21	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	24	mark	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	Duchess	Duchess	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	24	nsubj	_	_
24	invented	invent	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	20	advcl	_	_
25	in	in	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
28	for	for	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | would · passive |  | You |  | the tangle and nonsense |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | the tangle and nonsense | nonsense |  |  |  | clearly *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **invent** | past | the Duchess |  |  | the kitchen |  | for fun | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent for fun=Beneficiary |

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You'd get lost: it is a tangle of «not» and «otherwise» that cancels itself out

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t5:o3:1
# text = You'd get lost: it is a tangle of «not» and «otherwise» that cancels itself out
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	'd	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	get	get	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	tangle	tangle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	parataxis	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	otherwise	otherwise	ADV	RB	_	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
18	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	19	nsubj	_	_
19	cancels	cancel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
20	itself	itself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	19	obj	_	_
21	out	out	ADP	RP	_	19	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | would · passive |  | You |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | it | a tangle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **cancel out** | present | that | tangle |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It would be a clear rule that you could follow easily right to the end

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1:t5:o4:1
# text = It would be a clear rule that you could follow easily right to the end
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	clear	clear	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	follow	follow	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	_
11	easily	easily	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
12	right	right	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | would | It | a clear rule |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **follow** | could | that |  |  |  |  | easily *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**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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- ← previous: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part…, test 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1/t4/)
- next →: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter IX, part…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/17-alice-the-mock-turtles-story-1/t6/)
- ↑ 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/)