---
title: ★★★ «trees crouched nearer and nearer, and holes made ugly mouths».… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter III,… · tree and pragmatics
description: ★★★ «trees crouched nearer and nearer, and holes made ugly mouths». Trees can't crouch. Why does the writer say it? Test 16 · ★★ of lesson 33 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter III, part 1: The Wild Wood (winter, and the Mole sets out alone)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dep
---

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# Test 16 · ★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter III, part 1: The Wild Woo…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
★★★ «trees crouched nearer and nearer, and holes made ugly mouths». Trees can't crouch. Why does the writer say it?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** ★, holes, Trees, writer · **What happens:** crouch, make, not crouch, say · **To what, where:** ugly mouths, it · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 16 · ★★ of lesson 33 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter III, part 1: The Wild Wood (winter, and the Mole sets out alone)» 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/33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood/#t16).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* ★★★ «trees crouched nearer and nearer, and holes made ugly mouths».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:1
# text = ★★★ «trees crouched nearer and nearer, and holes made ugly mouths».
1	★	★	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	★	★	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	1	dep	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	★	★	X	FW	Foreign=Yes	1	dep	_	_
4	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
6	crouched	crouch	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	nearer	near	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	6	advmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	nearer	near	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	holes	hole	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj	_	_
13	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
14	ugly	ugly	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	mouths	mouth	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crouch** *in a quote* | past | ★ |  |  |  |  | near *property* | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **make** *in a quote* | past | holes | ugly mouths |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset mouth=Product |

<!-- .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:* Trees can't crouch.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:2
# text = Trees can't crouch.
1	Trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
2	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	4	advmod	_	_
4	crouch	crouch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **crouch** | can | Trees |  |  |  |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 3:* Why does the writer say it?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:3
# text = Why does the writer say it?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present · do-support | the writer | it |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent it=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Because trees really can crouch down in the wind when the Mole walks past them in the wood

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:o1:1
# text = Because trees really can crouch down in the wind when the Mole walks past them in the wood
1	Because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
2	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
3	really	really	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	crouch	crouch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	down	down	ADP	RP	_	5	compound:prt	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
10	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	13	mark	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	walks	walk	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	_
14	past	past	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obl	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **crouch down** | can | trees |  |  | the wind |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in wind=Location |
| 2 | **walk** | present | the Mole |  |  | the wood |  | past trees *= tree* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme past they=Trajectory |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To show the wood feels alive and threatening to the Mole

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:o2:1
# text = To show the wood feels alive and threatening to the Mole
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	feels	feel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	alive	alive	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	threatening	threaten	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	conj	_	_
9	to	to	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | to-infinitive |  | the wood |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent wood=Recipient |
| 2 | **feel** | present |  |  |  |  |  | alive *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |
| 3 | **threaten** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the Mole | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To show the Mole had been dreaming in the dark wood all night

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:o3:1
# text = To show the Mole had been dreaming in the dark wood all night
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	show	show	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	7	aux	_	_
7	dreaming	dream	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	ccomp	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	wood	wood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
12	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	13	det	_	_
13	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **show** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **dream** | past · perfect · progressive | the Mole |  |  | the dark wood | night |  | vn cognize-85 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To describe how the trees were bent by wind and snow

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood:t16:o4:1
# text = To describe how the trees were bent by wind and snow
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	describe	describe	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	7	advmod	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	trees	tree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
6	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	bent	bend	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	advcl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	wind	wind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **bend** | past · passive | wind and snow | the trees |  |  |  |  | vn knead-26.5 «NP V NP.material»: agent=Agent subject=Material |

<!-- 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: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter III,…, test 15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood/t15/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter III,…, test 17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood/t17/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter III, part 1: The Wild Wood (winter, and the Mole sets out alone)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/33-willows-ch3-part1-winter-and-the-way-to-the-wood/)