---
title: Why does the Rat say little at supper? — The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, pa… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why does the Rat say little at supper? Test 5 · ★★★ of lesson 44 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, part 4: Dulce Domum (the carol, a magic supper, and a home to come back to)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each option;
---

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# Test 5 · ★★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, part 4: Dulce Domum (t…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why does the Rat say little at supper?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 2 · **The right answer:** option 2 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** Rat · **What happens:** say · **To what, where:** little · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 5 · ★★★ of lesson 44 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, part 4: Dulce Domum (the carol, a magic supper, and a home to come back to)» 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/44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming/#t5).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming:t5:1
# text = Why does the Rat say little at supper?
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	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	supper	supper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	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 Rat | little |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent little=Topic |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He thinks the field-mice should talk about their plays

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming:t5:o1:1
# text = He thinks the field-mice should talk about their plays
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	thinks	think	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
7	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	talk	talk	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
9	about	about	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	plays	play	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | present | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **talk** | should | the field mice |  |  |  |  | about mice's plays | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about play=Topic |
| 3 | **play** |  | mice *= mouse* |  |  |  |  |  | nom play «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 2 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It's the Mole's homecoming; he keeps himself in the background

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming:t5:o2:1
# text = It's the Mole's homecoming; he keeps himself in the background
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	's	's	PART	POS	_	4	case	_	_
6	homecoming	homecoming	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	9	punct	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	keeps	keep	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	acl:relcl	_	_
10	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	9	obj	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	background	background	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | the Mole's homecoming |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **keep** | present | he | himself *= he* |  | the background |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent himself=Theme in background=Location |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is too cross with the field-mice for drinking so much of the ale at the fire tonight

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming:t5:o3:1
# text = He is too cross with the field-mice for drinking so much of the ale at the fire tonight
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	too	too	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	cross	cross	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	field	field	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	mice	mouse	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
10	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	drinking	drink	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
12	so	so	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	ale	ale	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
17	at	at	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod	_	_
20	tonight	tonight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl:unmarked	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | He |  |  |  |  | with the field mice; cross *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **drink** | gerund | He *not said here* | much of the ale at the fire |  |  | tonight |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent much=Patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He is saving his breath for the carol-singing that will happen later on in the night at the farm

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming:t5:o4:1
# text = He is saving his breath for the carol-singing that will happen later on in the night at the farm
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	saving	save	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	breath	breath	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	carol	carol	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	singing	sing	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	ccomp	_	_
14	later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	13	advmod	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	in	in	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
19	at	at	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	farm	farm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **save** | present · progressive | He | his breath |  |  |  | for the carol | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP PP.source»: agent=Agent breath=Theme for carol=Source |
| 2 | **sing** *speech: express* | gerund | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **happen** | future | that |  |  | the farm | night | late *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme at farm=Location |

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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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- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, pa…, test 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming/t6/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter V, part 4: Dulce Domum (the carol, a magic supper, and a home to come back to)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/44-willows-ch5-part4-the-carol-and-a-happy-homecoming/)