---
title: Pursuant to Christian teaching, select the response that most accura… — Lifeboat choices · tree and pragmatics
description: Pursuant to Christian teaching, select the response that most accurately states the place of self-sacrifice in the moral life. Exam question 3 of lesson 48 «Lifeboat choices» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and pragmatics of the question and of each o
---

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# Exam question 3 · Lifeboat choices

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pursuant to Christian teaching, select the response that most accurately states the place of self-sacrifice in the moral life.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** you · **What happens:** select, state · **To what, where:** response, place

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 3 of lesson 48 «Lifeboat choices» 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/48-lifeboat-choices/#e3).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e3:1
# text = Pursuant to Christian teaching, select the response that most accurately states the place of self-sacrifice in the moral life.
1	Pursuant	pursuant	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
2	to	to	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	Christian	Christian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	teaching	teaching	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	select	select	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	response	response	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
10	most	most	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	12	amod	_	_
11	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
12	states	state	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
16	self	self	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	sacrifice	sacrifice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nmod	_	_
19	in	in	ADP	IN	_	22	case	_	_
20	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
21	moral	moral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	22	amod	_	_
22	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **select** | imperative | you *not said here* | the response |  |  |  | to Christian teaching; pursuant *property* | vn characterize-29.2 «NP V NP to be ADJ»: agent=Agent response=Theme to teaching=be' |
| 2 | **state** *speech: other* | present | you *not said here* | the place of self sacrifice in the moral life |  |  |  | accurately *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent place=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 {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is a strict duty incumbent upon every person in every circumstance whatsoever

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e3:o1:1
# text = It is a strict duty incumbent upon every person in every circumstance whatsoever
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	strict	strict	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	duty	duty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	incumbent	incumbent	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	9	det	_	_
9	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	12	det	_	_
12	circumstance	circumstance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
13	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | It | a strict duty incumbent |  |  |  | upon every person in every circumstance; whatsoever *property* | tree rules |

### Option 2 · ✓ the right answer {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is admired as exceeding duty, the death of Jesus being its supreme example

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e3:o2:1
# text = It is admired as exceeding duty, the death of Jesus being its supreme example
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	admired	admire	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	exceeding	exceed	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	duty	duty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	death	death	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
11	Jesus	Jesus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
12	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	15	cop	_	_
13	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	15	nmod:poss	_	_
14	supreme	supreme	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	example	example	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admire** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  | the death *obl* | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Stimulus |
| 2 | **exceed** | gerund |  | duty |  |  |  |  | vn exceed-90 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot duty=Theme |
| 3 | **is** | gerund | Jesus |  |  |  |  | of death's supreme example | tree rules |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is prohibited, being contrary to the care of oneself

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e3:o3:1
# text = It is prohibited, being contrary to the care of oneself
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	prohibited	prohibit	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
5	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	cop	_	_
6	contrary	contrary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	conj	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	oneself	oneself	PRON	PRP	PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	9	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prohibit** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | to the care of oneself; contrary *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **care** |  | oneself |  |  |  |  |  | nom care «act intransitive»: of=agent |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is held to be of no moral significance whatsoever

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e3:o4:1
# text = It is held to be of no moral significance whatsoever
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	held	hold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	cop	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
8	moral	moral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	significance	significance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	_
10	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | of no moral significance; whatsoever *property* | tree rules |

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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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- ← previous: [Lifeboat choices, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/48-lifeboat-choices/e2/)
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