---
title: Grandad, reading aloud: «down at heel, love — like my old slippers».… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, p… · tree and pragmatics
description: Grandad, reading aloud: «down at heel, love — like my old slippers». What does «down at heel» mean? Test 2 · ★★★ of lesson 37 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, part 1: Mr. Badger (the door in the snow and the fire-lit kitchen)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tr
---

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# Test 2 · ★★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, part 1: Mr. Badger (t…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad, reading aloud: «down at heel, love — like my old slippers». What does «down at heel» mean?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Grandad · **What happens:** read, mean · **To what, where:** love, heel

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★★ of lesson 37 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, part 1: Mr. Badger (the door in the snow and the fire-lit kitchen)» 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/37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger/#t2).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* Grandad, reading aloud: «down at heel, love — like my old slippers».

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:1
# text = Grandad, reading aloud: «down at heel, love — like my old slippers».
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
3	reading	read	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	aloud	aloud	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	down	down	ADV	RB	_	3	conj	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	heel	heel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	love	love	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
12	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	16	punct	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
15	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	16	amod	_	_
16	slippers	slipper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **read** | gerund | Grandad | love |  |  |  | like my old slippers; aloud *property* | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1 «NP 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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What does «down at heel» mean?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:2
# text = What does «down at heel» mean?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	8	obj	_	_
2	does	do	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	down	down	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	heel	heel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present · do-support |  |  |  | heel |  | down *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Topic |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Worn out and squashed down at the back

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:o1:1
# text = Worn out and squashed down at the back
1	Worn	wear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	out	out	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	squashed	squash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
5	down	down	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear out** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **squash down** | participle |  |  |  | the back |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent at back=Trajectory |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Badly fitting, pinching the heels

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:o2:1
# text = Badly fitting, pinching the heels
1	Badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	2	advmod	_	_
2	fitting	fitting	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	pinching	pinch	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	heels	heel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pinch** | gerund |  | the heels |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent heel=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ill, with a sore heel that has been rubbed raw by walking through the snow for many long miles

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:o3:1
# text = Ill, with a sore heel that has been rubbed raw by walking through the snow for many long miles
1	Ill	ill	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	sore	sore	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	heel	heel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
9	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	rubbed	rub	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl:relcl	_	_
11	raw	raw	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
12	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
13	walking	walk	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	advcl	_	_
14	through	through	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
19	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	miles	mile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rub** | present · perfect · passive |  | a sore heel |  |  |  | raw *property* | vn spray-9.7-1 «NP V NP.theme»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **walk** | gerund |  |  |  | the snow |  | for many long miles | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme through snow=Trajectory |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Worn out and squashed down at the back, like slippers that have been trodden on for years by a tired walker

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t2:o4:1
# text = Worn out and squashed down at the back, like slippers that have been trodden on for years by a tired walker
1	Worn	wear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	out	out	ADP	RP	_	1	compound:prt	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	squashed	squash	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	_
5	down	down	ADP	RP	_	4	compound:prt	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	slippers	slipper	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj:pass	_	_
13	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
14	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	15	aux:pass	_	_
15	trodden	tread	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	acl:relcl	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	RP	_	15	compound:prt	_	_
17	for	for	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
18	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	15	obl	_	_
19	by	by	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	walker	walker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wear out** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | like slippers | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V PP-Conative»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **squash down** | participle |  |  |  | the back |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent at back=Trajectory |
| 3 | **tread on** | present · perfect · passive | a tired walker | slippers |  |  | year |  | vn run-51.3.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Initial\_Location subject=Theme |

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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.

<!-- /div -->

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- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, part 1: Mr. Badger (the door in the snow and the fire-lit kitchen)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger/)