---
title: What would happen if anyone could «win» an argument by inventing a r… — Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part… · tree and pragmatics
description: What would happen if anyone could «win» an argument by inventing a rule just then? Test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 23 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of 
---

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# Test 9 · ★★★ · Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What would happen if anyone could «win» an argument by inventing a rule just then?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** anyone · **What happens:** happen, win, invent · **To what, where:** argument, rule

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 9 · ★★★ of lesson 23 «Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)» 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/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/#t9).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t9:1
# text = What would happen if anyone could «win» an argument by inventing a rule just then?
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	_	8	mark	_	_
5	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	nsubj	_	_
6	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
7	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	win	win	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	argument	argument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	_
12	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	inventing	invent	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	advcl	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
16	just	just	ADV	RB	_	17	advmod	_	_
17	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	?	?	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 | **win** *a condition, not said to happen, in a quote* | could | anyone | a argument |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent argument=Eventuality |
| 3 | **invent** | gerund | anyone *not said here* | a rule |  |  | then |  | vn create-26.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent rule=Result |

<!-- .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 -->
Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone they dislike, so the trial would be pointless

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t9:o1:1
# text = Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone they dislike, so the trial would be pointless
1	Whoever	whoever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	_
11	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obl	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	dislike	dislike	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
17	so	so	ADV	RB	_	22	advmod	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	trial	trial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
20	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
21	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	cop	_	_
22	pointless	pointless	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	parataxis	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | could · present | Whoever |  |  | charge |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | Whoever *not said here* |  |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **dislike** | present | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer |
| 4 | **is** | would | the trial |  |  |  |  | pointless *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t9:o2:1
# text = Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone
1	Whoever	whoever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
11	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | could · present | Whoever |  |  | charge |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | Whoever *not said here* |  |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whoever is in charge could make any rule he likes

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t9:o3:1
# text = Whoever is in charge could make any rule he likes
1	Whoever	whoever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	likes	like	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | could · present | Whoever |  |  | charge |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **like** | present | he | any rule *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot rule=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone, and nobody could ever argue back again

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:23-alice-alices-evidence-1:t9:o4:1
# text = Whoever is in charge could make any rule to get rid of anyone, and nobody could ever argue back again
1	Whoever	whoever	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	charge	charge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
5	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl	_	_
11	rid	rid	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	19	punct	_	_
15	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
16	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	19	nsubj	_	_
17	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
18	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	19	advmod	_	_
19	argue	argue	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	parataxis	_	_
20	back	back	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
21	again	again	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | could · present | Whoever |  |  | charge |  | make *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **get** | to-infinitive | Whoever *not said here* |  |  |  |  | rid *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **argue back** *speech: disagree* | could | nobody |  |  |  | ever; again |  | vn correspond-36.1-1 «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.

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- ← previous: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part…, test 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/t8/)
- next →: [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part…, test 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/t10/)
- ↑ back to [Alice in Wonderland, chapter XII, part 1: Alice's Evidence (Rule Forty-two and the unsigned letter)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/23-alice-alices-evidence-1/)