---
title: It is given that a believer entertains doubts following a bereavemen… — Is it fair? Why bad things happen to g… · tree and pragmatics
description: It is given that a believer entertains doubts following a bereavement. Ascertain which statement is consistent with the matters taught. Exam question 4 of lesson 75 «Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the dependency tree and
---

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# Exam question 4 · Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is given that a believer entertains doubts following a bereavement. Ascertain which statement is consistent with the matters taught.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 2 · wrong ✗ · **Who acts:** believer, doubts, you, statement, matters · **What happens:** give, entertain, follow, ascertain, be, teach · **To what, where:** It, doubts, bereavement

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 of lesson 75 «Is it fair? Why bad things happen to good people» 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/75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/#e4).

## The question {#question}

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 1:* It is given that a believer entertains doubts following a bereavement.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:1
# text = It is given that a believer entertains doubts following a bereavement.
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	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	believer	believer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
7	entertains	entertain	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
8	doubts	doubt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	_
9	following	follow	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	8	acl	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	bereavement	bereavement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | present · passive |  | It |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **entertain** | present | a believer | doubts |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus doubt=Experiencer |
| 3 | **follow** | gerund | doubts *not said here* | a bereavement |  |  |  |  | vn chase-51.6 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bereavement=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.

<!-- .note -->
*Sentence 2:* Ascertain which statement is consistent with the matters taught.

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:2
# text = Ascertain which statement is consistent with the matters taught.
1	Ascertain	ascertain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
3	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	ccomp	_	_
6	with	with	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	matters	matter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	taught	teach	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present | which statement |  |  |  |  | consistent *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **teach** *speech: other* | past | the matters |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## The options {#options}

### Option 1 · ← Mova's choice {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Doubt demonstrates that the person never held any genuine faith whatsoever

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:o1:1
# text = Doubt demonstrates that the person never held any genuine faith whatsoever
1	Doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	demonstrates	demonstrate	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
6	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	2	advcl	_	_
8	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
9	genuine	genuine	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	faith	faith	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	whatsoever	whatsoever	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **demonstrate** | present | Doubt |  |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **not** **hold** | past | the person | any genuine faith |  |  |  | whatsoever *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent faith=Theme |

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

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Doubt is common among persons of faith and may coexist with belief

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:o2:1
# text = Doubt is common among persons of faith and may coexist with belief
1	Doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	common	common	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
4	among	among	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	persons	person	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	faith	faith	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
9	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	coexist	coexist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
12	belief	belief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Doubt |  |  |  |  | among persons of faith; common *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **coexist** | may | Doubt *not said here* |  |  |  |  | with belief | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Doubt may be entertained only by members of the clergy

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:o3:1
# text = Doubt may be entertained only by members of the clergy
1	Doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	entertained	entertain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
6	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	members	member	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	clergy	clergy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **entertain** | may · passive | members of the clergy | Doubt |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Doubt is prohibited by every Christian denomination

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:75-is-it-fair-why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people:e4:o4:1
# text = Doubt is prohibited by every Christian denomination
1	Doubt	doubt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	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	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	every	every	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
6	Christian	Christian	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	denomination	denomination	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **prohibit** | present · passive | every Christian denomination | Doubt |  |  |  |  | vn forbid-64.4-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Causer subject=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**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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