---
title: The writer says it would «take too long to explain why» table manner… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, p… · tree and pragmatics
description: The writer says it would «take too long to explain why» table manners matter. What is he doing? Test 4 · ★★★ 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 tree a
---

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# Test 4 · ★★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter IV, part 1: Mr. Badger (t…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The writer says it would «take too long to explain why» table manners matter. What is he doing?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** writer, it, table manners · **What happens:** say, take, explain, matter, do · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 4 · ★★★ 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/#t4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* The writer says it would «take too long to explain why» table manners matter.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:1
# text = The writer says it would «take too long to explain why» table manners matter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	writer	writer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
5	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	ccomp	_	_
8	too	too	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	11	mark	_	_
11	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	advcl	_	_
12	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
14	table	table	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	compound	_	_
15	manners	manners	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	16	nsubj	_	_
16	matter	matter	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | the writer |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **take** *in a quote* | would | it |  |  |  |  | long *property* | vn require-103 «NP V that S»: agent=Theme clause=Precondition |
| 3 | **explain** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | to-infinitive | table manners *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **matter** | present | table manners |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

<!-- .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 is he doing?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:2
# text = What is he doing?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	4	obj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present · progressive | writer |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent what=Eventuality |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Avoiding the question with a weak excuse

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:o1:1
# text = Avoiding the question with a weak excuse
1	Avoiding	avoid	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	weak	weak	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **avoid** | gerund |  | the question |  |  |  | with a weak excuse | vn avoid-52 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent question=Location |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Making a little joke, like a grown-up who can't quite explain

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:o2:1
# text = Making a little joke, like a grown-up who can't quite explain
1	Making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
6	like	like	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	up	up	ADP	RP	_	8	compound:prt	_	_
11	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
12	ca	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	15	advmod	_	_
14	quite	quite	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	explain	explain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	acl:relcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | gerund |  | a little joke |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset joke=Product |
| 2 | **grow up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **explain** *speech: assert* | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Making a little joke, since he would be a long time explaining, like a grown-up who cannot say why to a child

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:o3:1
# text = Making a little joke, since he would be a long time explaining, like a grown-up who cannot say why to a child
1	Making	make	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
6	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
7	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
8	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
9	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	cop	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
13	explaining	explain	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
15	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	grown	grow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	23	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	up	up	ADP	RP	_	17	compound:prt	_	_
20	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	23	nsubj	_	_
21	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	23	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	23	advmod	_	_
23	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	conj	_	_
24	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	23	advmod	_	_
25	to	to	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	child	child	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | gerund |  | a little joke |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset joke=Product |
| 2 | **is a** | would | he | a long time |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **explain** *speech: assert* | gerund | a long time *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **grow up** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **not** **say** *speech: assert* | can |  |  | a child |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V PP.recipient S-Quote»: agent=Agent to child=Recipient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Talking down to the reader in a stern way

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:37-willows-ch4-part1-mr-badger:t4:o4:1
# text = Talking down to the reader in a stern way
1	Talking	talk	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
2	down	down	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	_
3	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	reader	reader	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	stern	stern	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **talk down** | gerund |  |  |  | a stern way |  | to the reader; down *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.co-agent»: agent=Agent to reader=Co-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.

<!-- /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/)