---
title: Ascertain the means whereby the Rat conveyed the Mole to the bank fo… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, pa… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the means whereby the Rat conveyed the Mole to the bank following the capsize. Exam question 2 of lesson 28 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank (the Mole grabs the oars, the boat goes over, and a friendship begins)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the means whereby the Rat conveyed the Mole to the bank following the capsize.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Rat · **What happens:** ascertain, mean, convey, follow · **To what, where:** Mole, bank, capsize · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 28 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank (the Mole grabs the oars, the boat goes over, and a friendship begins)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the means whereby the Rat conveyed the Mole to the bank following the capsize.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	whereby	whereby	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	conveyed	convey	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	ccomp	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	advcl	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	capsize	capsize	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **convey** | past | the Rat | the Mole | the bank |  |  | whereby *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent mole=Topic to bank=Recipient |
| 4 | **follow** | gerund | the Rat *not said here* | the capsize |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent capsize=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.

## The options {#options}

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A scull beneath each arm, the Rat propelling from behind

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh:e2:o1:1
# text = A scull beneath each arm, the Rat propelling from behind
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	scull	scull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	det	_	_
5	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	propelling	propelling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
10	from	from	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	behind	behind	ADV	RB	_	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Rat held a scull beneath each arm and kicked from behind, while steering the upturned boat towards the reeds for a long time

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh:e2:o2:1
# text = The Rat held a scull beneath each arm and kicked from behind, while steering the upturned boat towards the reeds for a long time
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scull	scull	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	beneath	beneath	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	det	_	_
8	arm	arm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	kicked	kick	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	behind	behind	ADV	RB	_	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
14	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	steering	steer	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
17	upturned	upturn	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	18	amod	_	_
18	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
19	towards	towards	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	reeds	reed	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	_
22	for	for	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
24	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | past | the Rat | a scull |  | each arm |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent scull=Theme beneath arm=Location |
| 2 | **kick** | participle | the Rat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn split-23.2 «NP V PP.co-patient»: agent=Patient from behind=Co-Patient |
| 3 | **steer** | gerund | the Rat *not said here* | the upturned boat |  | the reeds | time |  | vn accompany-51.7 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent boat=Theme towards reed=Destination |
| 4 | **upturn** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A rope round his waist, the Rat towing him from the far bank

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh:e2:o3:1
# text = A rope round his waist, the Rat towing him from the far bank
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	round	round	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	waist	waist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
9	towing	tow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
10	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	far	far	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tow** | gerund | a rope round rope's waist | Rat |  | the far bank |  |  | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP PP.initial\_location»: agent=Agent he=Theme from bank=Initial\_Location |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Rat grabbed the Mole's neck and swam with him in his teeth, towing the boat behind him all the way to the bank

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh:e2:o4:1
# text = The Rat grabbed the Mole's neck and swam with him in his teeth, towing the boat behind him all the way to the bank
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	grabbed	grab	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	neck	neck	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	swam	swim	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
10	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obl	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
14	teeth	tooth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	towing	tow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	23	csubj	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	boat	boat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
20	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	obl	_	_
21	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	23	det:predet	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	parataxis	_	_
24	to	to	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
25	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
26	bank	bank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **grab** | past | the Rat | the Mole's neck |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent neck=Theme |
| 2 | **swim** | past | the Rat *not said here* |  |  | Rat's teeth |  | with Rat | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in tooth=Trajectory |
| 3 | **tow** | gerund |  | the boat |  |  |  | behind Rat | vn carry-11.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent boat=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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- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter I, part 4: The River Bank (the Mole grabs the oars, the boat goes over, and a friendship begins)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/28-willows-ch1-part4-sploosh/)