---
title: A judge at the olympiad asks: "Isn't telling on classmates disloyal?… — Whistle-blowing: when to tell · tree and pragmatics
description: A judge at the olympiad asks: "Isn't telling on classmates disloyal?" What is the best-reasoned answer? Test 11 · ★★ 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 the question and of each option; Mova's
---

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# Test 11 · ★★ · Whistle-blowing: when to tell

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A judge at the olympiad asks: "Isn't telling on classmates disloyal?" What is the best-reasoned answer?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 4 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** judge, reasoned answer · **What happens:** ask, not tell, be, reason · **To what, where:** classmates disloyal · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
This is test 11 · ★★ of lesson 45 «Whistle-blowing: when to tell» of the religion ethics 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/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/#t11).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* A judge at the olympiad asks: "Isn't telling on classmates disloyal?"

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:1
# text = A judge at the olympiad asks: "Isn't telling on classmates disloyal?"
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	judge	judge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	at	at	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	olympiad	olympiad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	asks	ask	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	Is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
11	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	ccomp	_	_
12	on	on	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	classmates	classmate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	compound	_	_
14	disloyal	disloyal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | present | a judge at the olympiad |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | present · progressive |  |  |  | classmates disloyal |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* What is the best-reasoned answer?

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:2
# text = What is the best-reasoned answer?
1	What	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
4	best	good	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	reasoned	reason	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the reasoned answer |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **reason** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn deduce-97.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Yes, telling is always disloyal, so it is always wrong

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:o1:1
# text = Yes, telling is always disloyal, so it is always wrong
1	Yes	yes	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Pos	6	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	1	punct	_	_
3	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	6	advmod	_	_
6	disloyal	disloyal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
11	always	always	ADV	RB	PronType=Tot	12	advmod	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | always, disloyal *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | always, wrong *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No, because loyalty to classmates never matters at all

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:o2:1
# text = No, because loyalty to classmates never matters at all
1	No	no	INTJ	UH	Polarity=Neg	8	discourse	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
3	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
4	loyalty	loyalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	classmates	classmate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	_
7	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	8	advmod	_	_
8	matters	matter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	8	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **matter** | present | loyalty to classmates |  |  | all |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It depends only on whether you like the people involved

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:o3:1
# text = It depends only on whether you like the people involved
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	depends	depend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
4	on	on	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	whether	whether	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	like	like	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
10	involved	involved	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **depend** | present | It |  |  |  |  |  | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **like** | present | you | the people |  |  |  | involved *property* | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADJ»: agent=Pivot people=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Loyalty matters, but not to people who are harming someone weaker; protecting them comes first

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell:t11:o4:1
# text = Loyalty matters, but not to people who are harming someone weaker; protecting them comes first
1	Loyalty	loyalty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	matters	matter	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
4	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
8	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	harming	harm	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	weaker	weak	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
14	protecting	protect	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	csubj	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
17	first	first	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	16	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **matter** | present | Loyalty |  |  |  |  | to people | vn matter-91 «NP V PP.experiencer»: agent=Stimulus to people=Experiencer |
| 2 | **harm** | present · progressive | people | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 3 | **protect** | gerund |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn defend-72.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Beneficiary |
| 4 | **come** | present | protecting |  |  |  |  | first *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=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.

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- ← previous: [Whistle-blowing: when to tell, test 10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/t10/)
- next →: [Whistle-blowing: when to tell, exam 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/e1/)
- ↑ back to [Whistle-blowing: when to tell](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/45-whistle-blowing-when-to-tell/)