---
title: Ascertain the cause of the stoats' conflict with the weasels, accord… — The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII,… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain the cause of the stoats' conflict with the weasels, according to the Mole's report. Exam question 2 of lesson 71 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII, part 2: The Return of Ulysses (four Heroes, five minutes and clean sheets)» of the books course of Mova's primary school, with the depende
---

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# Exam question 2 · The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII, part 2: The Return o…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain the cause of the stoats' conflict with the weasels, according to the Mole's report.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 3 · **The right answer:** option 1 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, stoats, Mole · **What happens:** ascertain, accord, cause, conflict, report · **To what, where:** cause, conflict

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 71 «The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII, part 2: The Return of Ulysses (four Heroes, five minutes and clean sheets)» 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/71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall:e2:1
# text = Ascertain the cause of the stoats' conflict with the weasels, according to the Mole's report.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	cause	cause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	stoats	stoat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	'	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	conflict	conflict	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	weasels	weasel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
13	according	accord	VERB	VBG	ExtPos=ADP|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	18	case	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	Mole	mole	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	's	's	PART	POS	_	16	case	_	_
18	report	report	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	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 cause of the stoats's conflict with the weasels accord the Mole's report |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent cause=Topic |
| 2 | **accord** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn future\_having-13.3 «NP V NP.theme (PP)»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **cause** |  |  | the stoats's conflict with the weasels accord the Mole's report |  |  |  |  | nom cause «event transitive»: of=patient |
| 4 | **conflict** |  | the stoats |  |  |  |  | with the weasels accord the Mole's report | nom conflict «act intransitive»: poss=agent with=obl |
| 5 | **report** |  | the Mole |  |  |  |  |  | nom report «communication transitive»: 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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stoats believed themselves betrayed

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall:e2:o1:1
# text = The stoats believed themselves betrayed
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stoats	stoat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obj	_	_
5	betrayed	betray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past | the stoats | stoats *= stoat* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **betray** | participle | the stoats *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Panic in the dark made the stoats believe that they had been betrayed by their allies

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall:e2:o2:1
# text = Panic in the dark made the stoats believe that they had been betrayed by their allies
1	Panic	panic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	in	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	dark	dark	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	stoats	stoat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
8	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	ccomp	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
10	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
11	had	have	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
12	been	be	AUX	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	betrayed	betray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	advcl	_	_
14	by	by	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	allies	ally	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | Panic in the dark |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **believe** | present | the stoats |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **betray** | past · perfect · passive | stoats's allies | stoats *= stoat* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

### Option 3 · ← Mova's choice {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The stoats believed themselves betrayed by the weasels after Mole's sentry trick

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall:e2:o3:1
# text = The stoats believed themselves betrayed by the weasels after Mole's sentry trick
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	stoats	stoat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	believed	believe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	themselves	themselves	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	3	obj	_	_
5	betrayed	betray	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	xcomp	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	weasels	weasel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obl	_	_
9	after	after	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	Mole	Mole	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	sentry	sentry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | past | the stoats | stoats *= stoat* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **betray** | participle | the stoats *not said here* |  |  |  | after Mole's sentry trick | by the weasels | tree rules |
| 3 | **trick** |  | Mole |  |  |  |  |  | nom trick «act transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The weasels stole their food

```conllu
# sent_id = question:books:71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall:e2:o4:1
# text = The weasels stole their food
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	weasels	weasel	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	stole	steal	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **steal** | past | the weasels | weasels's food |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location food=Theme |

<!-- 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 XII,…, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall/e1/)
- next →: [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII,…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall/e3/)
- ↑ back to [The Wind in the Willows, chapter XII, part 2: The Return of Ulysses (four Heroes, five minutes and clean sheets)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/books/71-willows-ch12-part2-the-battle-of-toad-hall/)