---
title: Where a dilemma admits of no clearly correct resolution, determine t… — Lifeboat choices · tree and pragmatics
description: Where a dilemma admits of no clearly correct resolution, determine the course which sound ethical reasoning recommends. Exam question 4 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 option; 
---

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# Exam question 4 · Lifeboat choices

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Where a dilemma admits of no clearly correct resolution, determine the course which sound ethical reasoning recommends.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** dilemma, you, course, ethical reasoning · **What happens:** admit, determine, sound, recommend · **To what, where:** course

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This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e4:1
# text = Where a dilemma admits of no clearly correct resolution, determine the course which sound ethical reasoning recommends.
1	Where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	4	advmod	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	dilemma	dilemma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	admits	admit	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	9	det	_	_
7	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	correct	correct	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	resolution	resolution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	determine	determine	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	course	course	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	15	nsubj	_	_
15	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	acl:relcl	_	_
16	ethical	ethical	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	17	amod	_	_
17	reasoning	reasoning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nsubj	_	_
18	recommends	recommend	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **admit** *speech: other* | present | a dilemma |  |  |  |  | of no correct resolution | vn confess-37.10 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **determine** | imperative | you *not said here* | the course |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent course=Topic |
| 3 | **sound** | present | the course |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 4 | **recommend** | present | ethical reasoning |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1-1 «NP V that S»: 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.

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The choice is to be delegated to whichever person is most popular

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e4:o1:1
# text = The choice is to be delegated to whichever person is most popular
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	delegated	delegate	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	whichever	whichever	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
10	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
11	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	12	advmod	_	_
12	popular	popular	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present · passive |  | the choice |  |  |  | to whichever person; delegate *property* | tree rules |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The least injurious option is to be chosen and the reasons honestly stated

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e4:o2:1
# text = The least injurious option is to be chosen and the reasons honestly stated
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	least	least	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	3	advmod	_	_
3	injurious	injurious	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	option	option	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux:pass	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
7	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	aux:pass	_	_
8	chosen	choose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	reasons	reason	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	honestly	honestly	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
13	stated	state	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	conj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **choose** | present · passive |  | the injurious option |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **state** *speech: other* | participle · passive |  | the reasons |  |  |  | honestly *property* | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: subject=Topic |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The choice is to be made at random without explanation

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e4:o3:1
# text = The choice is to be made at random without explanation
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	choice	choice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	random	random	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
9	without	without	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	explanation	explanation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | present · passive |  | the choice |  | random |  | without explanation | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: subject=Product |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All action is to be withheld so that no responsibility may attach to anyone

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:48-lifeboat-choices:e4:o4:1
# text = All action is to be withheld so that no responsibility may attach to anyone
1	All	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	withheld	withhold	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	so	so	SCONJ	IN	ExtPos=SCONJ	12	mark	_	_
8	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	fixed	_	_
9	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	10	det	_	_
10	responsibility	responsibility	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
11	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	attach	attach	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	anyone	anyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	12	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **withhold** | present · passive |  | all action |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **attach** | may | no responsibility |  |  |  |  | to anyone | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=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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- ← previous: [Lifeboat choices, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/48-lifeboat-choices/e3/)
- next →: [Rights, duties and community dilemmas, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/49-rights-duties-and-community/t1/)
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