---
title: Why is the line about Oxford funny? — The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, pa… · tree and pragmatics
description: Why is the line about Oxford funny? Test 2 · ★★★ of lesson 63 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, part 3: The Further Adventures of Toad (the most conceited song and the very same motor-car)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and o
---

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# Test 2 · ★★★ · The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, part 3: The Further Ad…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Why is the line about Oxford funny?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **What happens:** be

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 2 · ★★★ of lesson 63 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, part 3: The Further Adventures of Toad (the most conceited song and the very same motor-car)» 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/63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song/#t2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song:t2:1
# text = Why is the line about Oxford funny?
1	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Oxford	Oxford	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	advcl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | why *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The line is funny because Toad has clearly never been to Oxford, yet he brags about its clever men in front of everyone

<!-- fold The tree, 23 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song:t2:o1:1
# text = The line is funny because Toad has clearly never been to Oxford, yet he brags about its clever men in front of everyone
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	line	line	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
9	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
10	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	12	cop	_	_
11	to	to	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	Oxford	Oxford	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	yet	yet	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
16	brags	brag	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
17	about	about	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
18	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	20	nmod:poss	_	_
19	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	obl	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
22	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	_
23	of	of	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
24	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	22	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the line |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **have** | present | Toad |  |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **not** **is** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | to Oxford | tree rules |
| 4 | **brag** *speech: other* | present | Toad |  |  | front of everyone |  | about line's clever men | vn complain-37.8 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about man=Topic |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is funny since Toad boasts of being wiser than Oxford's scholars while he cannot even spell words properly, and even misses rhymes

<!-- fold The tree, 25 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song:t2:o2:1
# text = It is funny since Toad boasts of being wiser than Oxford's scholars while he cannot even spell words properly, and even misses rhymes
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	funny	funny	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	since	since	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
5	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	boasts	boast	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	9	cop	_	_
9	wiser	wise	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	obl	_	_
10	than	than	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	Oxford	Oxford	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	's	PART	POS	_	11	case	_	_
13	scholars	scholar	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
14	while	while	SCONJ	IN	_	19	mark	_	_
15	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	nsubj	_	_
16	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
18	even	even	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	_
19	spell	spell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
20	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	19	obj	_	_
21	properly	properly	ADV	RB	_	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	25	cc	_	_
24	even	even	ADV	RB	_	25	advmod	_	_
25	misses	miss	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
26	rhymes	rhyme	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | funny *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **boast** *speech: other* | present | Toad |  |  |  |  |  | vn complain-37.8 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | than Oxford's scholars; wise *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **not** **spell** | can | Toad | words |  |  |  | properly *property* | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent word=Theme |
| 5 | **miss** | present |  | rhymes |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer rhyme=Stimulus |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toad claims Oxford men know nothing, yet he makes a grammar mistake in his own song

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song:t2:o3:1
# text = Toad claims Oxford men know nothing, yet he makes a grammar mistake in his own song
1	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	claims	claim	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Oxford	Oxford	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	know	know	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	ccomp	_	_
6	nothing	nothing	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	yet	yet	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
10	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	grammar	grammar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	mistake	mistake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
14	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	17	nmod:poss	_	_
16	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **claim** *speech: other* | present | Toad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **know** | present | Oxford men | nothing |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer nothing=Stimulus |
| 3 | **make** | present | Toad | a grammar mistake |  | Toad's own song |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent mistake=Product |
| 4 | **sing** |  | Toad |  |  |  |  |  | nom song «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toad says he is cleverer than the clever men at Oxford, but uses the wrong word «knowed»

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song:t2:o4:1
# text = Toad says he is cleverer than the clever men at Oxford, but uses the wrong word «knowed»
1	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	cleverer	clever	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	2	ccomp	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	clever	clever	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	men	man	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	Oxford	Oxford	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
13	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
14	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	_
18	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	knowed	knowe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	17	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	19	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | Toad |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | Toad |  |  |  |  | than the clever men at Oxford; clever *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **use** | present |  | the wrong word |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent word=Patient |
| 4 | **knowe** *in a quote* | past | the wrong word *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

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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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- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter X, part 3: The Further Adventures of Toad (the most conceited song and the very same motor-car)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/63-willows-ch10-part3-the-conceited-song/)