---
title: Given that a member of a group is being harmed by other members, ide… — Whistle-blowing: when to tell · tree and pragmatics
description: Given that a member of a group is being harmed by other members, identify the course of action most consistent with sound ethical reasoning. Exam question 2 of lesson 45 «Whistle-blowing: when to tell» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of
---

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# Exam question 2 · Whistle-blowing: when to tell

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Given that a member of a group is being harmed by other members, identify the course of action most consistent with sound ethical reasoning.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you, other members · **What happens:** give, harm, identify · **To what, where:** member, course

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 2 of lesson 45 «Whistle-blowing: when to tell» 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/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/#e2).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:e2:1
# text = Given that a member of a group is being harmed by other members, identify the course of action most consistent with sound ethical reasoning.
1	Given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	advcl	_	_
2	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	10	mark	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	10	aux:pass	_	_
10	harmed	harm	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	1	advcl	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	members	member	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
15	identify	identify	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
16	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
20	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	21	advmod	_	_
21	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	amod	_	_
22	with	with	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
23	sound	sound	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
24	ethical	ethical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	15	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **harm** | present · passive | other members | a member of a group |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |
| 3 | **identify** | imperative | you *not said here* | the course of action |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent course=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 -->
Maintenance of silence, loyalty to the group being of paramount and overriding importance in every case

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:e2:o1:1
# text = Maintenance of silence, loyalty to the group being of paramount and overriding importance in every case
1	Maintenance	maintenance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
5	loyalty	loyalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	cop	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	paramount	paramount	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	overriding	override	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	11	conj	_	_
14	importance	importance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
15	in	in	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
16	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	17	det	_	_
17	case	case	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | gerund | Maintenance of silence |  |  |  |  | of paramount | tree rules |
| 2 | **override** | gerund | Maintenance of silence *not said here* | importance |  | every case |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **maintain** |  |  | silence |  |  |  |  | nom maintenance «act transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Retaliation against the perpetrators by equivalent means

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:e2:o2:1
# text = Retaliation against the perpetrators by equivalent means
1	Retaliation	retaliation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
2	against	against	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	perpetrators	perpetrator	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	equivalent	equivalent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nmod	_	_
7	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Retaliation against the perpetrators by equivalent |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Deferral of any action until such time as the harm has increased

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:e2:o3:1
# text = Deferral of any action until such time as the harm has increased
1	Deferral	deferral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	4	det	_	_
4	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nmod	_	_
5	until	until	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	increased	increase	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **increase** | present · perfect · passive |  | Deferral of any action until such time as the harm |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **defer** |  |  | any action until such time as the harm |  |  |  |  | nom deferral «state transitive»: of=patient |

### Option 4 · ✓ the right answer {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Disclosure to a trusted adult, the protection of the vulnerable outweighing loyalty to the group

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:e2:o4:1
# text = Disclosure to a trusted adult, the protection of the vulnerable outweighing loyalty to the group
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	,	_	8	punct	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	protection	protection	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
11	vulnerable	vulnerable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
12	outweighing	outweigh	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	amod	_	_
13	loyalty	loyalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
14	to	to	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .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 |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn exceed-90 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot |
| 3 | **protect** |  |  | the vulnerable outweighing loyalty to the group |  |  |  |  | nom protection «act 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.

<!-- /div -->

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- next →: [Whistle-blowing: when to tell, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/e3/)
- ↑ back to [Whistle-blowing: when to tell](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/)