---
title: Which of the following most accurately characterises a "white lie"? — White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba… · tree and pragmatics
description: Which of the following most accurately characterises a "white lie"? Exam question 1 of lesson 83 «White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing» 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 choice was rig
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/e1/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [questions](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/) / [Religion ethics](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/) / [White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/) / e1

# Exam question 1 · White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Which of the following most accurately characterises a "white lie"?

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **What happens:** follow, characteris · **To what, where:** white lie

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 1 of lesson 83 «White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing» 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/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/#e1).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e1:1
# text = Which of the following most accurately characterises a "white lie"?
1	Which	which	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	4	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	following	follow	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	most	most	ADV	RBS	Degree=Sup	6	advmod	_	_
6	accurately	accurately	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
7	characterises	characteris	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
9	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	lie	lie	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **follow** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **characteris** | present |  | a white lie |  |  |  | accurately *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .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 -->
A minor falsehood uttered with the intention of sparing the feelings of another

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e1:o1:1
# text = A minor falsehood uttered with the intention of sparing the feelings of another
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	minor	minor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	falsehood	falsehood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	uttered	utter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	intention	intention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	sparing	spare	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	feelings	feeling	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obj	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **utter** *speech: other* | participle |  | a minor falsehood *not said here* |  |  |  | with the intention | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **spare** | gerund | the intention *not said here* | the feelings of another |  |  |  |  | vn bill-54.5 «NP V NP NP.asset»: agent=Agent feeling=Asset |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A truthful statement uttered with the intention of causing distress

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e1:o2:1
# text = A truthful statement uttered with the intention of causing distress
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	truthful	truthful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	statement	statement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	uttered	utter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	intention	intention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	causing	cause	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	distress	distress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **utter** *speech: other* | participle |  | a truthful statement *not said here* |  |  |  | with the intention | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **cause** | gerund | the intention *not said here* | distress |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition distress=Patient |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A grave falsehood uttered with the intention of procuring another's punishment

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e1:o3:1
# text = A grave falsehood uttered with the intention of procuring another's punishment
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	grave	grave	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	falsehood	falsehood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	uttered	utter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	intention	intention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
8	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
9	procuring	procure	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
10	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	12	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	's	's	PART	POS	_	10	case	_	_
12	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **utter** *speech: other* | participle |  | a grave falsehood *not said here* |  |  |  | with the intention | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **procure** | gerund | the intention *not said here* | another's punishment |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent punishment=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A falsehood uttered exclusively in respect of matters of meteorology

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e1:o4:1
# text = A falsehood uttered exclusively in respect of matters of meteorology
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	falsehood	falsehood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	uttered	utter	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	exclusively	exclusively	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	respect	respect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	matters	matter	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	meteorology	meteorology	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **utter** *speech: other* | participle |  | a falsehood *not said here* |  | respect of matters of meteorology |  | exclusively *property* | vn say-37.7-1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **respect** |  |  | matters of meteorology |  |  |  |  | nom respect «cognition transitive»: of=patient |
| 3 | **matter** |  | meteorology |  |  |  |  |  | nom matter «cognition intransitive»: of=agent |

<!-- 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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba…, test 11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/t11/)
- next →: [White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba…, exam 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/e2/)
- ↑ back to [White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/)