---
title: Ascertain which statement concerning the moral status of white lies… — White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba… · tree and pragmatics
description: Ascertain which statement concerning the moral status of white lies is consistent with the established positions of the thinkers named in this lesson. Exam question 4 of lesson 83 «White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing» of the religion ethics course of Mova's primary school, with the depen
---

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# Exam question 4 · White lies: the ugly jumper and the bad drawing

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ascertain which statement concerning the moral status of white lies is consistent with the established positions of the thinkers named in this lesson.

<!-- .vintro -->
**Mova's choice:** option 1 · **The right answer:** option 1 · right ✓ · **Who acts:** you, concerning · **What happens:** ascertain, concern, be, establish, name · **To what, where:** statement, moral status, thinkers, lesson

<!-- .vabout -->
This is exam question 4 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/#e4).

## The question {#question}

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e4:1
# text = Ascertain which statement concerning the moral status of white lies is consistent with the established positions of the thinkers named in this lesson.
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	1	obj	_	_
4	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	csubj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	moral	moral	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	status	status	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nmod	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
12	consistent	consistent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	acl	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	established	establish	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	16	amod	_	_
16	positions	position	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obl	_	_
17	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	thinkers	thinker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	16	nmod	_	_
20	named	name	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	19	acl	_	_
21	in	in	ADP	IN	_	23	case	_	_
22	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	23	det	_	_
23	lesson	lesson	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ascertain** | imperative | you *not said here* | which statement |  |  |  |  | vn discover-84 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent statement=Topic |
| 2 | **concern** | gerund |  | the moral status of white lies |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus status=Experiencer |
| 3 | **is** | present | concerning | which statement *not said here* |  |  |  | with the established positions of the thinkers; consistent *property* | tree rules |
| 4 | **establish** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn indicate-78-1-1 «NP V NP to be NP»: agent=Pivot |
| 5 | **name** | participle |  | the thinkers *not said here* |  | this lesson |  |  | vn appoint-29.1 «NP V NP»: 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 · ✓ the right answer {#o1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Kant held all falsehood impermissible, whereas other thinkers have regarded minor kindly falsehoods as acceptable

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e4:o1:1
# text = Kant held all falsehood impermissible, whereas other thinkers have regarded minor kindly falsehoods as acceptable
1	Kant	Kant	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	held	hold	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	4	det	_	_
4	falsehood	falsehood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	impermissible	impermissible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
7	whereas	whereas	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
8	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	thinkers	thinker	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nsubj	_	_
10	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	regarded	regard	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
12	minor	minor	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	_
13	kindly	kindly	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
14	falsehoods	falsehood	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
16	acceptable	acceptable	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | past | Kant | all falsehood |  |  |  | impermissible *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent falsehood=Theme |
| 2 | **regard** | present · perfect | other thinkers | falsehoods |  |  |  | as acceptable; minor *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP PP.value»: agent=Agent as acceptable=Value |

### Option 2 {#o2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No philosopher has ever expressed an opinion concerning white lies

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e4:o2:1
# text = No philosopher has ever expressed an opinion concerning white lies
1	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	philosopher	philosopher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
4	ever	ever	ADV	RB	PronType=Ind	5	advmod	_	_
5	expressed	express	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	opinion	opinion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
8	concerning	concern	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	acl	_	_
9	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **express** | present · perfect · passive |  | no philosopher |  |  | ever |  | vn send-11.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: subject=Destination opinion=Theme |
| 2 | **concern** | gerund | a opinion *not said here* | white lies |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus lie=Experiencer |

### Option 3 {#o3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All philosophers unanimously regard white lies as the gravest of wrongs

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e4:o3:1
# text = All philosophers unanimously regard white lies as the gravest of wrongs
1	All	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	philosophers	philosopher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	unanimously	unanimously	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	regard	regard	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	gravest	grave	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	4	conj	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	wrongs	wrong	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **regard** | present | all philosophers | white lies |  |  |  | unanimously *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lie=Theme |

### Option 4 {#o4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
All philosophers unanimously regard white lies as wholly permissible

```conllu
# sent_id = question:religion-ethics:83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing:e4:o4:1
# text = All philosophers unanimously regard white lies as wholly permissible
1	All	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	2	det	_	_
2	philosophers	philosopher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	unanimously	unanimously	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	regard	regard	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	white	white	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	lies	lie	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	_
7	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	wholly	wholly	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	permissible	permissible	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	advcl	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **regard** | present | all philosophers | white lies |  |  |  | unanimously *property* | vn assessment-34.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lie=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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [White lies: the ugly jumper and the ba…, exam 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/83-white-lies-the-ugly-jumper-and-the-bad-drawing/e3/)
- next →: [Kind truths: honesty with a gentle voice, test 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/questions/religion-ethics/84-kind-truths-honesty-with-a-gentle-voice/t1/)
- ↑ 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/)