---
title: «why would anyone send a lizard down a chimney, that's so random» Wh… — Alice's Victorian world: tea, croquet,… · tree and pragmatics
description: «why would anyone send a lizard down a chimney, that's so random» What is the real history behind it? Test 6 · ★★ of lesson 81 «Alice's Victorian world: tea, croquet, pocket watches, shillings and chimney sweeps» of the history course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics
---

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# Test 6 · ★★ · Alice's Victorian world: tea, croquet, pocket watches, shi…

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«why would anyone send a lizard down a chimney, that's so random» What is the real history behind it?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 3 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** anyone, that · **What happens:** send, be · **To what, where:** lizard, real history, history · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 6 · ★★ of lesson 81 «Alice's Victorian world: tea, croquet, pocket watches, shillings and chimney sweeps» of the history 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/history/81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps/#t6).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps:t6:1
# text = «why would anyone send a lizard down a chimney, that's so random» What is the real history behind it?
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	5	advmod	_	_
3	would	would	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nsubj	_	_
5	send	send	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	down	down	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	chimney	chimney	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
12	that	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	15	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	so	so	ADV	RB	_	15	advmod	_	_
15	random	random	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
17	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	21	nsubj	_	_
18	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	21	cop	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
20	real	real	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	history	history	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	parataxis	_	_
22	behind	behind	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send** *in a quote* | would | anyone | a lizard |  |  |  | down a chimney | vn confine-92-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lizard=Theme |
| 2 | **is** *in a quote* | present | that |  |  |  |  | random *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | present |  | the real history |  | history |  |  | 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 -->
Lizards were specially trained to clean the chimneys of old London houses because they love heat

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps:t6:o1:1
# text = Lizards were specially trained to clean the chimneys of old London houses because they love heat
1	Lizards	lizard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
3	specially	specially	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	trained	train	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	clean	clean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	chimneys	chimney	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
10	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
11	London	London	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
12	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	_
13	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	love	love	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
16	heat	heat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **train** | past · passive |  | Lizards |  |  |  | specially *property* | vn hire-13.5.3 «NP V NP to be NP»: subject=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 2 | **clean** | to-infinitive | Lizards *not said here* | the chimneys of old London houses |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent chimney=Patient |
| 3 | **love** | present | Lizards *= lizard* | heat |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer heat=Stimulus |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chimneys were where Victorians kept their pets in winter

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps:t6:o2:1
# text = Chimneys were where Victorians kept their pets in winter
1	Chimneys	chimney	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	5	advmod	_	_
4	Victorians	Victorian	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj	_	_
5	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	pets	pet	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	obj	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	winter	winter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
```

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

### Option 3 · ✓ the right answer {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Victorians sent small boys up chimneys to sweep them until a law stopped it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps:t6:o3:1
# text = Victorians sent small boys up chimneys to sweep them until a law stopped it
1	Victorians	victorian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	sent	send	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	boys	boy	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	_
6	chimneys	chimney	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	sweep	sweep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
13	stopped	stop	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **send up** | past | Victorians | chimneys | small boys |  |  |  | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent boy=Destination chimney=Theme |
| 2 | **sweep** | to-infinitive | Victorians *not said here* | chimneys *= chimney* |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme they=Trajectory |
| 3 | **stop** | past | a law | it |  |  |  |  | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality it=Eventuality |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Victorians kept lizards in chimneys to catch spiders

```conllu
# sent_id = question:history:81-alice-s-victorian-world-tea-croquet-pocket-watches-shillings-and-chimney-sweeps:t6:o4:1
# text = Victorians kept lizards in chimneys to catch spiders
1	Victorians	victorian	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	kept	keep	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	lizards	lizard	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	chimneys	chimney	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	catch	catch	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
8	spiders	spider	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | past | Victorians | lizards |  | chimneys |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent lizard=Theme in chimney=Location |
| 2 | **catch** | to-infinitive | Victorians *not said here* | spiders |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent spider=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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