---
title: Ascertain the means whereby intelligence of the forthcoming banquet… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, p… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the means whereby intelligence of the forthcoming banquet was obtained. Exam question 2 of lesson 68 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 4: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (the secret passage, the birthday banquet and «learn 'em»)» of the books course of Mova's primary school,
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 4: «Like Summer…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the means whereby intelligence of the forthcoming banquet was obtained.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, the · **What happens:** ascertain, mean, obtain · **To what, where:** intelligence · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 68 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 4: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (the secret passage, the birthday banquet and «learn 'em»)» 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/68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the means whereby intelligence of the forthcoming banquet was obtained.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	nsubj	_	_
3	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	ccomp	_	_
4	whereby	whereby	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	advmod	_	_
5	intelligence	intelligence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	forthcoming	forthcoming	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	banquet	banquet	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
11	obtained	obtain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	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 | **mean** | present | the |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **obtain** | past · passive |  | intelligence of the forthcoming banquet |  |  |  | whereby *property* | vn obtain-13.5.2-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Theme |

<!-- .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 -->
A weasel boasted about it at the inn door, then the Badger wrote

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage:e2:o1:1
# text = A weasel boasted about it at the inn door, then the Badger wrote
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weasel	weasel	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
3	boasted	boast	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	obl	_	_
6	at	at	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	inn	inn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	13	advmod	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	Badger	Badger	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	_
14	wrote	write	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **boast** *speech: other* | participle |  | a weasel *not said here* |  | the inn door |  | about weasel | vn complain-37.8 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about it=Topic |
| 2 | **write** | past | a weasel |  |  |  |  |  | vn scribble-25.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Otter, disguised as a sweep, enquired at the back door

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage:e2:o2:1
# text = The Otter, disguised as a sweep, enquired at the back door
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Otter	Otter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	disguised	disguise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sweep	sweep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	enquired	enquire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **disguise** | participle |  | the Otter *not said here* |  |  |  | as a sweep | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **enquire** *speech: other* | participle | the Otter |  |  | the back door |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Otter, disguised as a sweep, enquired at the back door, then climbed the chimney to listen

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage:e2:o3:1
# text = The Otter, disguised as a sweep, enquired at the back door, then climbed the chimney to listen
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Otter	Otter	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	16	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
4	disguised	disguise	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
5	as	as	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sweep	sweep	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	enquired	enquire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
10	at	at	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
15	then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	16	advmod	_	_
16	climbed	climb	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	chimney	chimney	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	to	to	PART	TO	_	20	mark	_	_
20	listen	listen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **disguise** | participle |  | the Otter *not said here* |  |  |  | as a sweep | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **enquire** *speech: other* | participle |  | a sweep *not said here* |  | the back door |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **climb** | past | the Otter | the chimney |  |  | then |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **listen** | to-infinitive | the Otter *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Mole crept round and listened at the kitchen window in the snow

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage:e2:o4:1
# text = The Mole crept round and listened at the kitchen window in the snow
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	crept	creep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	round	round	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	listened	listen	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	kitchen	kitchen	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	_
10	window	window	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **creep** | past | the Mole |  |  |  |  | round *property* | vn run-51.3.2 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **listen** | past | the Mole *not said here* |  |  |  |  | in the snow; at the kitchen window | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at window=Theme |

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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 XI, p…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage/e1/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, p…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage/e3/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XI, part 4: «Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears» (the secret passage, the birthday banquet and «learn 'em»)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/68-willows-ch11-part4-the-secret-passage/)