---
title: Ascertain the explanation proffered by the Rat for the Badger's desp… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, p… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the explanation proffered by the Rat for the Badger's despondent demeanour upon arrival. Exam question 2 of lesson 67 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 3: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (loyal friends, cold pie and «Be quiet at once!»)» of the books course of Mova's primary
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 3: «Like Summer…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the explanation proffered by the Rat for the Badger's despondent demeanour upon arrival.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 3 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, explanation · **What happens:** ascertain, proffer

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 67 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 3: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (loyal friends, cold pie and «Be quiet at once!»)» 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/67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the explanation proffered by the Rat for the Badger's despondent demeanour upon arrival.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	proffered	proffer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	Rat	Rat	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	despondent	despondent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	demeanour	demeanour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
14	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	arrival	arrival	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **proffer** | past | the explanation |  |  |  |  | by the Rat; for the Badger's despondent demeanour upon arrival *goal* | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent for demeanour=Goal |

<!-- .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 -->
That the Badger was often cross when he had walked far in the snow

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home:e2:o1:1
# text = That the Badger was often cross when he had walked far in the snow
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	often	often	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	cross	cross	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	10	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	walked	walk	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
11	far	far	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	10	advmod	_	_
12	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the Badger |  |  |  |  | cross, often *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **walk** | past · perfect | Badger |  |  | the snow |  | far *property* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in snow=Trajectory |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That he was always tired after a long day

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home:e2:o2:1
# text = That he was always tired after a long day
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
2	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	5	advmod	_	_
5	tired	tired	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
6	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | That |  |  |  | day | always, tired *property* | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the Badger was invariably low-spirited when in want of victuals

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home:e2:o3:1
# text = That the Badger was invariably low-spirited when in want of victuals
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	advcl	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
5	invariably	invariably	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
6	low	low	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	spirited	spirit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	want	want	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	victuals	victual	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spirit** | past · passive |  |  |  | want of victuals |  | invariably *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **want** |  |  | victuals |  |  |  |  | nom want «state transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That the Badger was usually gloomy when he was lacking his supper

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home:e2:o4:1
# text = That the Badger was usually gloomy when he was lacking his supper
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	nsubj	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	gloomy	gloomy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
7	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	10	mark	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	_
9	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	lacking	lack	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
11	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	supper	supper	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | the Badger |  |  |  |  | gloomy, usually *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **lack** | past · progressive | Badger | Badger's supper |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**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 XI, p…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home/e1/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, p…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home/e3/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 3: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (loyal friends, cold pie and «Be quiet at once!»)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/67-willows-ch11-part3-badger-and-mole-come-home/)