---
title: Whereas a common resource is exploited by each party solely for its… — The environment · tree and pragmatics
description: Whereas a common resource is exploited by each party solely for its own advantage, ascertain the outcome which the expression "the tragedy of the commons" denotes. Exam question 3 of lesson 47 «The environment» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and prag
---

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# Exam question 3 · The environment

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Whereas a common resource is exploited by each party solely for its own advantage, ascertain the outcome which the expression "the tragedy of the commons" denotes.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** party, you, expression · **What happens:** exploit, ascertain, denote · **To what, where:** common resource, outcome

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 47 «The environment» 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/47-the-environment/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:47-the-environment:e3:1
# text = Whereas a common resource is exploited by each party solely for its own advantage, ascertain the outcome which the expression "the tragedy of the commons" denotes.
1	Whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	resource	resource	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	exploited	exploit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	advcl	_	_
7	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	party	party	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	solely	solely	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
11	for	for	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	14	nmod:poss	_	_
13	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	advantage	advantage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	outcome	outcome	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	_
19	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	29	obj	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	expression	expression	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	nsubj	_	_
22	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	24	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	tragedy	tragedy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	appos	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
26	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	27	det	_	_
27	commons	common	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
28	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	24	punct	_	_
29	denotes	denote	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **exploit** | present · passive | each party | a common resource |  |  |  | for resource's own advantage; solely *property* | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP PP.predicate»: agent=Agent subject=Theme for advantage=Eventuality |
| 2 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | the outcome |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent outcome=Topic |
| 3 | **denote** | present | the expression | the outcome |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot which=Topic |

<!-- .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 -->
The resource is degraded to the detriment of all who depend upon it

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:47-the-environment:e3:o1:1
# text = The resource is degraded to the detriment of all who depend upon it
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	resource	resource	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	degraded	degrade	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	detriment	detriment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	nmod	_	_
10	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	depend	depend	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	acl:relcl	_	_
12	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **degrade** | present · passive |  | the resource |  |  |  | to the detriment of all | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=Patient |
| 2 | **depend** | present | the detriment of all |  |  |  |  | upon resource | vn rely-70 «NP V PP.theme S\_ING»: agent=Agent |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The resource is transferred to the ownership of the state

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:47-the-environment:e3:o2:1
# text = The resource is transferred to the ownership of the state
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	resource	resource	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	transferred	transfer	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	ownership	ownership	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	state	state	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **transfer** | present · passive |  | the resource | the ownership of the state |  |  |  | vn contribute-13.2-2 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: subject=Theme to ownership=Recipient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The resource is abandoned by all parties at the outset

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:47-the-environment:e3:o3:1
# text = The resource is abandoned by all parties at the outset
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	resource	resource	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	abandoned	abandon	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	parties	party	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	outset	outset	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **abandon** | present · passive | all parties | the resource |  | the outset |  |  | vn leave-51.2 «NP V NP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme subject=Source |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The resource is enlarged in proportion to the number of its users

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:47-the-environment:e3:o4:1
# text = The resource is enlarged in proportion to the number of its users
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	resource	resource	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	enlarged	enlarge	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	proportion	proportion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	12	nmod:poss	_	_
12	users	user	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enlarge** | present · passive |  | the resource |  | proportion |  | to the number of resource's users | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: subject=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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