---
title: Why does the Rat ask about rowing «with an innocent air»? — The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, p… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why does the Rat ask about rowing «with an innocent air»? Test 2 · ★★ of lesson 30 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, part 2: The Open Road (Toad's canary-coloured caravan)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option; M
---

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# Test 2 · ★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, part 2: The Open Road…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why does the Rat ask about rowing «with an innocent air»?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** Rat · **What happens:** do, ask, row

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★ of lesson 30 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, part 2: The Open Road (Toad's canary-coloured caravan)» 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/30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart/#t2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart:t2:1
# text = Why does the Rat ask about rowing «with an innocent air»?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	ask	ask	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	about	about	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	rowing	row	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	advcl	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	innocent	innocent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	air	air	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | the Rat *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | the Rat |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **row** | gerund | the Rat *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with a innocent air | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He hopes Toad will take him sailing

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart:t2:o1:1
# text = He hopes Toad will take him sailing
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hopes	hope	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
6	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	sailing	sail	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hope** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn long-32.2 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **take** | future | Toad |  | him *= he* |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument he=Destination |
| 3 | **sail** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP.agent V»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He's teasing — he knows Toad has given it up

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart:t2:o2:1
# text = He's teasing — he knows Toad has given it up
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	teasing	tease	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	csubj:pass	_	_
4	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	knows	know	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	parataxis	_	_
7	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	up	up	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tease** | present · progressive | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn ferret-35.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **know** | present | he | Toad |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer toad=Stimulus |
| 3 | **give up** | present · perfect | teasing | it |  |  |  |  | vn resign-10.11-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Source |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is asking sincerely, because he wants to learn rowing from Toad at the river

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart:t2:o3:1
# text = He is asking sincerely, because he wants to learn rowing from Toad at the river
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	asking	ask	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	sincerely	sincerely	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	learn	learn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	_
11	rowing	row	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	xcomp	_	_
12	from	from	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
14	at	at	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present · progressive | He |  |  |  |  | sincerely *property* | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **want** | present | he |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 3 | **learn** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | he *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **row** | gerund | he *not said here* |  |  | the river |  | from Toad | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent from toad=Trajectory |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He wants to row with Toad now

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart:t2:o4:1
# text = He wants to row with Toad now
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	wants	want	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	row	row	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	4	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **want** | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 2 | **row** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* |  |  |  | now | with Toad | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2 «NP.agent 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: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, p…, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart/t1/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, p…, test 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart/t3/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter II, part 2: The Open Road (Toad's canary-coloured caravan)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/30-willows-ch2-part2-the-canary-coloured-cart/)