---
title: Given that a friend has confided a secret which conceals a danger to… — Dilemmas about truth and friendship · tree and pragmatics
description: Given that a friend has confided a secret which conceals a danger to that friend, select the response most consistent with sound ethical reasoning. Exam question 3 of lesson 41 «Dilemmas about truth and friendship» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and 
---

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# Exam question 3 · Dilemmas about truth and friendship

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Given that a friend has confided a secret which conceals a danger to that friend, select the response most consistent with sound ethical reasoning.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** friend, secret, you · **What happens:** give, confide, conceal, select · **To what, where:** secret, danger, response

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This is exam question 3 of lesson 41 «Dilemmas about truth and friendship» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:e3:1
# text = Given that a friend has confided a secret which conceals a danger to that friend, select the response most consistent with sound ethical reasoning.
1	Given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	mark	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	confided	confide	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	17	advcl	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	secret	secret	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	conceals	conceal	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	15	det	_	_
15	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
17	select	select	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	_
20	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	21	advmod	_	_
21	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
22	with	with	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
23	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	25	nsubj	_	_
24	ethical	ethical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	17	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **confide** *speech: other* | present · perfect | a friend | a secret |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent secret=Topic |
| 3 | **conceal** | present | a secret | a danger |  |  |  | to that friend | vn concealment-16 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent danger=Patient |
| 4 | **select** | imperative | you *not said here* | the response |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent response=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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Disclosure to a trusted adult, the friend's safety outweighing the confidence

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:e3:o1:1
# text = Disclosure to a trusted adult, the friend's safety outweighing the confidence
1	Disclosure	disclosure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	trusted	trust	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	's	's	PART	POS	_	8	case	_	_
10	safety	safety	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
11	outweighing	outweigh	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	acl	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	confidence	confidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **trust** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **outweigh** | gerund | the friend's safety *not said here* | the confidence |  |  |  |  | vn exceed-90 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot confidence=Theme |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Preservation of the confidence in all circumstances, a promise being absolute

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:e3:o2:1
# text = Preservation of the confidence in all circumstances, a promise being absolute
1	Preservation	preservation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	confidence	confidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	circumstances	circumstance	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	promise	promise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	cop	_	_
12	absolute	absolute	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund | Preservation of the confidence in all circumstances |  |  |  |  | absolute *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **preserve** |  |  | the confidence in all circumstances |  |  |  |  | nom preservation «act transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Abstention from any action, the matter lying beyond the agent's concern

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:e3:o3:1
# text = Abstention from any action, the matter lying beyond the agent's concern
1	Abstention	abstention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	from	from	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	det	_	_
4	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	appos	_	_
8	lying	lie	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	beyond	beyond	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	agent	agent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	's	's	PART	POS	_	11	case	_	_
13	concern	concern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lie** | gerund | the matter *not said here* |  |  | the agent's concern |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Agent beyond concern=Location |
| 2 | **concern** |  | the agent |  |  |  |  |  | nom concern «cognition transitive»: poss=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Publication of the matter to the entire class without delay

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:41-dilemmas-about-truth-and-friendship:e3:o4:1
# text = Publication of the matter to the entire class without delay
1	Publication	publication	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	entire	entire	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
9	without	without	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	delay	delay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **publish** |  |  | the matter to the entire class without delay |  |  |  |  | nom publication «communication transitive»: of=patient |

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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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