Prompt
It is the third day of a power outage after an ice storm. Roads out of your neighborhood are closed, and the gas stations nearby have no power. You own the only generator on your street, and you have 15 liters of fuel left, enough to run it for about 20 hours. Right now it keeps your house warm for you, your partner and your 8-month-old son. Next door, Ruth, who is 81 and lives alone, uses a machine at night that helps her breathe. Its backup battery is almost empty. She tells you she can manage a night or two without it, though she sleeps badly and feels frightened, but her daughter, who cannot reach her, phones you in tears asking you to help. Across the street, a family with two young children says the temperature inside their house has dropped to 9°C (48°F). The generator cannot power all three homes at once. What would you do?
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Ethical reasoning
- Empathy and compassion
- Critical thinking
How to approach this question
This MMI station tests how you allocate a scarce resource in a crisis when your own family, a frightened elderly neighbor and a family with young children all have serious claims. Name each household's need and how urgent it is, including your own infant son. Ask aloud whether people could gather in one warm house, whether the generator could be shared in shifts, and how to reach emergency services or a shelter. Weigh the options against how long the fuel will last, and commit to a clear plan you could explain to everyone involved. When the station introduces an offer that comes with a condition, weigh whether accepting it would help more people overall, and whether the condition is fair.
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