---
title: Ascertain the agency by which the prisoner's despondency was first a… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the agency by which the prisoner's despondency was first alleviated. Exam question 2 of lesson 52 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII, part 1: Toad's Adventures (the gaoler's daughter and the buttered toast)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pra
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII, part 1: Toad's Adve…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the agency by which the prisoner's despondency was first alleviated.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, agency, prisoner · **What happens:** ascertain, alleviate, despond · **To what, where:** agency, despondency

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 52 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII, part 1: Toad's Adventures (the gaoler's daughter and the buttered toast)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, asked in stiff, formal language. 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/52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the agency by which the prisoner's despondency was first alleviated.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	agency	agency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	12	obl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	prisoner	prisoner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	despondency	despondency	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux:pass	_	_
11	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	12	advmod	_	_
12	alleviated	alleviate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the agency |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent agency=Topic |
| 2 | **alleviate** | past · passive | the agency | the prisoner's despondency |  |  |  | first *property* | vn remedy-45.7 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent subject=Patient |
| 3 | **despond** |  | the prisoner |  |  |  |  |  | nom despondency «feeling intransitive»: poss=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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The odour of hot cabbage, borne in a dish of bubble-and-squeak

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter:e2:o1:1
# text = The odour of hot cabbage, borne in a dish of bubble-and-squeak
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	odour	odour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	cabbage	cabbage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	borne	bear	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	dish	dish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	bubble	bubble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	squeak	squeak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bear** | participle |  | the odour of hot cabbage *not said here* |  | a dish of bubble and squeak |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A visit from Badger, who brought him a letter of comfort

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter:e2:o2:1
# text = A visit from Badger, who brought him a letter of comfort
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	visit	visit	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	letter	letter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	comfort	comfort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | past | a visit from Badger | a letter of comfort | Badger |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent he=Destination letter=Theme |
| 2 | **letter** |  |  | comfort |  |  |  |  | nom letter «communication transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The strong smell of the hot cabbage that the gaoler's daughter brought him on a dish of bubble-and-squeak

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter:e2:o3:1
# text = The strong smell of the hot cabbage that the gaoler's daughter brought him on a dish of bubble-and-squeak
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	smell	smell	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	cabbage	cabbage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	gaoler	gaoler	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	daughter	daughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	brought	bring	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	dish	dish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	bubble	bubble	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	23	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	21	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	squeak	squeak	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bring** | past | the strong smell of the hot cabbage |  | him *= he* | a dish of bubble and squeak |  |  | vn bring-11.3-1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Instrument he=Destination |
| 2 | **smell** |  | the hot cabbage |  |  |  |  |  | nom smell «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The arrival of the warm bread, cheese and cider from home

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter:e2:o4:1
# text = The arrival of the warm bread, cheese and cider from home
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	arrival	arrival	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	bread	bread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	cheese	cheese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	cider	cider	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
11	from	from	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **arrive** |  | the warm bread and cheese and cider from home |  |  |  |  |  | nom arrival «act intransitive»: of=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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- ← previous: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII,…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter/e1/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII,…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter/e3/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter VIII, part 1: Toad's Adventures (the gaoler's daughter and the buttered toast)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/52-willows-ch8-part1-the-gaolers-daughter/)