TOP 140 câu hỏi trắc nghiệm ôn tập học phần Principles of Economics | Trường Đại học Quốc tế, Đại học Quốc gia Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

Chapter 1
Ten Principles of Economics MULTIPLE CHOICE 1.
The adage, “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” means:
a. To get something we like, we usually have to give up another thing we like.
b. Even people on welfare have to pay for food these days.
c. The cost of living is always increasing.
d. All costs are measured in dollars. 2.
Daniel decides to spend an hour playing basketball rather than working at $6 per hour. His tradeoff is
a. nothing, because he enjoys playing basketball more than working.
b. the increase in skill he obtains from playing basketball for that hour.
c. the $6 he could have earned.
d. nothing, because he spent $6 for admission into the sports complex to play basketball. 3.
When society requires that firms reduce pollution,
a. there is no tradeoff, since everyone benefits from reduced pollution.
b. there is no tradeoff for society as a whole, since the cost of reducing pollution falls only on the
firms affected by the requirements.
c. there is a tradeoff only if some firms are forced to close.
d. there is a tradeoff because of reduced incomes to the firms’ owners, workers, and customers. 4. Efficiency means that
a. society is getting the most it can from its scarce resources.
b. society is conserving resources in order to save them for the future.
c. society’s goods and services are distributed fairly among society’s members.
d. society has lessened its dependence on foreign energy sources. 5. Equity means that
a. all members of society have the same income.
b. society is getting the most it can from its scarce resources.
c. society’s goods and services are distributed according to need.
d. the benefits of society’s resources are distributed fairly among society’s members. 6.
A good definition of equity would be
a. everyone receiving the same income. b. fairness. c. efficiency.
d. eliminating extreme affluence. 7.
When government policies are being designed,
a. equity and efficiency goals are usually independent of each other.
b. there is usually a tradeoff between equity and efficiency.
c. equity can usually be achieved without an efficiency loss.
d. increasing efficiency usually results in more equity. 8.
When the government redistributes income from the rich to the poor,
2 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. 1
a. efficiency is improved.
b. both rich people and poor people benefit directly.
c. people work less and produce fewer goods and services.
d. rich people consume fewer goods and poor people consume more goods, resulting in no real change. 9.
The opportunity cost of going to college is
a. the total spent on food, clothing, books, transportation, tuition, lodging, and other expenses.
b. zero for students who are fortunate enough to have all of their college expenses paid by someone else.
c. the value of the best opportunity a student gives up to attend college.
d. zero, since a college education will allow a student to earn a larger income after graduation. 10.
For most students, the largest single cost of a college education is
a. transportation, parking, and entertainment.
b. tuition, fees, and books. c. room and board.
d. the wages given up to attend school. 11.
The opportunity cost of an item is
a. the number of hours needed to earn money to buy it.
b. what you give up to get that item.
c. always less than the dollar value of the item.
d. always equal to the dollar value of the item. 12.
Carolyn decides to spend an additional hour working overtime rather than watching a video with
her friends. She earns $8 for her hour’s work. Her opportunity cost of working is a. the $8 she earns.
b. the enjoyment she would have received had she watched the video.
c. the $8 minus the enjoyment she would have received from watching the video.
d. nothing, since she would have received less than $8 of enjoyment from the video. 13.
Ryan spends an hour studying instead of going for a bike ride. The opportunity cost to him of studying is
a. the improvement in his grades from studying for the hour.
b. the difference between the improvement in his grades from studying minus the enjoyment of a bike ride.
c. the enjoyment and exercise he would have received had he gone for a bike ride.
d. zero. Since Ryan chose to study rather than to ride his bike, the value of studying must have been
greater than the value of the bike ride. 14.
College-age athletes who drop out of school to play professional sports
a. are making a bad economic decision, since they can’t play forever.
b. are unaware of their opportunity cost of attending college.
c. underestimate the value of a college education.
d. are well aware that their opportunity cost of attending college is very high. 15.
The term which means whatever must be given up to obtain an item is a. efficiency.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 3 b. externality. c. opportunity cost. d. market failure. 16.
People make decisions at the margin by
a. following tradition.
b. comparing costs and benefits. c. experience.
d. calculating dollar costs. 17. A marginal change is a. a long-term trend.
b. a large, significant adjustment.
c. a change for the worse.
d. a small incremental adjustment. 18.
Which of the following is the best example of a marginal change?
a. Mark graduates from college and takes a job. His income increases from $10,000 per year to $50,000 per year.
b. The price of housing rises in Seattle by 25% in one year.
c. Kim works at the college bookstore. She gets a raise from $5.15 per hour to $5.20 per hour.
d. A drought hits the upper Midwest and the price of wheat increases from $4.00 per bushel to $8.00per bushel. 19.
A rational decisionmaker takes an action only if
a. the marginal benefit is greater than the marginal cost.
b. the marginal benefit is less than the marginal cost.
c. the average benefit is greater than the average cost.
d. the marginal benefit is greater than both the average cost and the marginal cost. 20.
You have spent $500 purchasing and repairing an old car which you expect to sell for $800 once the
repairs are complete. You discover that you need an additional part, which will cost $400, including
labor, in order to complete the repairs. You can sell the car as it is now for $300. What should you do?
a. You should complete the repairs and sell the car.
b. You should cut your losses and take the $300.
c. You should never sell something for less than it costs.
d. It doesn’t matter which action you take; the outcome is the same either way. 21.
Economists understand that people respond to
a. the wishes of policymakers. b. incentives.
c. threats more than rewards.
d. tax breaks, but not tax hikes. 22.
Which of the following is important for policy makers to consider when designing public policy?
a. the possibility that policies might change behavior
b. the direct effect of policies
c. the indirect effect of policies d. all of the above
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
4 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 23.
U.S. laws requiring that drivers wear seat belts have resulted in
a. a reduction in both driver deaths and pedestrian deaths.
b. fewer accidents and fewer deaths per accident.
c. little change in the number of driver deaths, but more accidents and more pedestrian deaths.
d. fewer driver deaths, fewer accidents and fewer pedestrian deaths. 24.
One effect of a government imposed seat belt law has been
a. fewer pedestrian deaths. b. safer driving.
c. an increase in the number of accidents.
d. that everyone now wears seat belts. 25.
In the former Soviet Union, producers were paid for meeting output targets, not for selling products.
Under those circumstances, what were the economic incentives for producers?
a. to produce good quality products so that society benefits from the resources used
b. to conserve on costs, so as to maintain efficiency in the economy
c. to produce those products that society desires most
d. to produce enough to meet the output target, without regard for quality or cost 26. Trade can benefit a family
a. by allowing the family to buy a greater variety of goods and services at a lower cost.
b. by allowing each person to specialize in the activities he or she does best.c. a and b
d. only if the family is not in economic competition with other families. 27.
Which is the most accurate statement about trade?
a. Trade makes some nations better off and others worse off.
b. Trade can make every nation better off.
c. Trading for a good can make a nation better off only if the nation cannot produce that good.
d. Trade helps rich nations and hurts poor nations. 28.
Trade between the United States and Mexico
a. is a losing proposition for Mexico because U.S. workers are more productive.
b. is a losing proposition for the U.S. because Mexico has cheaper labor.
c. is like a sports contest: one side wins and the other side loses.
d. benefits both the United States and Mexico. 29.
The United States can benefit from trade a. with any nation.
b. only with nations which can produce goods the U.S. cannot produce.
c. with any nation not in economic competition with the U.S.
d. only with less-developed nations. 30.
If Canada is better than the U.S. at producing hockey sticks, but the U.S. is better than Canada at producing roller blades,
a. the U.S. should impose a tariff on Canadian hockey sticks in order to protect jobs in the U.S. roller blade industry.
b. the U.S. should sell roller blades to Canada, and should buy Canadian hockey sticks.
c. the U.S. should subsidize its hockey stick industry so that it can compete with Canadian hockey sticks.
d. the U.S. should put a quota on the amount of Canadian hockey sticks imported.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 5 31.
Which of the following is the best statement about markets?
a. Markets are usually a good way to organize economic activity.
b. Markets are usually inferior to central planning as a way to organize economic activity.
c. Markets are flawed and are therefore not an acceptable way to organize economic activity.
d. Markets are a good way to organize economic activity in developed nations, but not in less- developed nations. 32. In a market economy,
a. firms decide whom to hire and what to produce.
b. profit and self-interest guide the decisions of firms and households.
c. households decide which firms to work for and what to buy with their incomes.d. all of the above 33.
In a market economy, economic activity is guided by a. the government. b. prices. c. central planners. d. corporations. 34.
One advantage market economies have over central planning is that market economies a. are more efficient.
b. solve the problem of scarcity.
c. establish government economic control.
d. provide an equal distribution of goods and services to consumers. 35.
Which of the following observations was made famous by Adam Smith in his book The Wealth of Nations?
a. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
b. People buy more when prices are low than when prices are high.
c. No matter how much people earn, they tend to spend more than they earn.
d. Households and firms interacting in markets are guided by an “invisible hand” that leads
them to desirable market outcomes. 36.
The “invisible hand” directs economic activity through a. prices. b. mass media.
c. subliminal messages.
d. government regulations. 37.
The invisible hand works to promote general well-being in the economy primarily through
a. government intervention.
b. the political process. c. self interest. d. altruism. 38.
Taxes adversely affect the allocation of resources in society because
a. they do not always fall more heavily on the rich.
b. the taxes collected are not enough to finance government.
c. they distort prices and thus the decisions of households and firms.
d. not everyone pays taxes.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
6 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 39.
When the government prevents prices from adjusting naturally to supply and demand,
a. it stabilizes the economy.
b. it adversely affects the allocation of resources.
c. the improvement in equity justifies the reduction in efficiency.
d. the reduced uncertainty associated with fixed prices is worth more than the cost in lower efficiency. 40.
The term market failure refers to
a. a firm which is forced out of business because of losses.
b. an unsuccessful advertising campaign.
c. a situation in which competition among firms becomes ruthless.
d. a situation in which the market on its own fails to allocate resources efficiently. 41.
The two best reasons for a government to intervene in a market are
a. to raise revenues and to promote stability.
b. to promote equity and to raise revenues.
c. to promote efficiency and to raise revenues.
d. to promote equity and to promote efficiency. 42.
Causes of market failure include
a. externalities and foreign competition.
b. market power and incorrect forecasts of consumer demand.
c. externalities and market power.
d. incorrect forecasts of consumer demand and foreign competition. 43. An externality is
a. the impact of society’s decisions on the well-being of society.
b. the impact of a person’s actions on that person’s well-being.
c. the impact of society’s decisions on the well-being of one person.
d. the impact of one person’s actions on the well-being of a bystander. 44.
An example of an externality is
a. the impact of bad weather on the income of farmers.
b. the impact of the personal income tax on a person’s ability to purchase goods and services.
c. the impact of pollution from a factory on the health of people in the vicinity of the factory.
d. the impact of increases in health care costs on the health of individuals in society. 45.
If a copper refinery does NOT bear the entire cost of the smoke it emits,
a. it will eliminate all smoke so as to avoid the entire cost of the smoke.
b. it will emit lower levels of smoke.
c. it will emit an acceptable level of smoke.
d. it will emit too much smoke. 46.
A situation in which a market left on its own fails to allocate resources efficiently is known as a. scarcity. b. opportunity cost. c. market failure. d. market power. 47.
A market economy rewards people according to
a. their need for goods and services.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 7
b. how willing they are to work.
c. their ability to produce things of cultural importance.
d. their ability to produce things that other people are willing to pay for. 48.
Which of these consumption activities is most likely to cause an external cost?
a. An executive plays a vigorous game of golf.
b. A construction worker eats a sandwich during the lunch break.
c. A young mother exercises to an aerobics video.
d. A student in a dorm plays her CDs at 120 decibels late at night. 49.
If education produces external benefits for society, which of the following might be an appropriate
policy for society to establish regarding education?
a. public subsidies of education
b. mandatory minimum levels of education
c. tax incentives for schooling d. all of the above 50.
If a sawmill creates too much air pollution,
a. interference by the government will surely make the matter worse.
b. a sense of social responsibility will cause the owners of the mill to reduce pollution.
c. the government can raise economic well-being by providing health care to those affected by the pollution.
d. the government can raise economic well-being through environmental regulation. 51. Market power refers to
a. the relative importance of a market to the overall economy.
b. the ability of a person or group of people to successfully market new products.
c. the power of the government to regulate a market.
d. the power of a single person (or small group of people) to unduly influence market prices. 52.
An example of a monopoly would be
a. a sole provider of electrical power in a city.
b. a gasoline service station in Los Angeles.
c. a grocery store in Chicago.
d. a hospital in Missouri. 53.
Which is the most correct statement about the invisible hand?
a. The invisible hand always ensures both equity and efficiency.
b. The invisible hand never ensures either equity or efficiency.
c. The invisible hand is more effective at ensuring equity than it is at ensuring efficiency.
d. The invisible hand is more effective at ensuring efficiency than it is at ensuring equity. 54.
In the United States, higher income tax rates on rich people could be justified on the basis of a. efficiency. b. equity.
c. lack of other sources of government revenue.
d. government bias against the wealthy. 55.
Taxing high incomes at a higher rate than low incomes is most likely to do which of the following?
a. promote equity and promote efficiency
b. promote equity and hinder efficiency
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
8 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics
c. hinder equity and promote efficiency
d. hinder equity and hinder efficiency 56.
Upon what does a country’s standard of living depend?
a. its ability to produce goods and services
b. the amount of gold and silver the country has
c. the average amount of money individuals in the country have
d. its ability to protect its workers from foreign competition 57.
In the United States, incomes have historically grown about 2% per year. At this rate incomes will double every a. 10 years. b. 25 years. c. 35 years. d. 50 years. 58.
The income of a typical worker in a country is most closely linked to which of the following? a. population b. labor unions c. productivity d. government policies 59.
If the average income of an American is higher than the average income of an Italian, it is most likely because
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 9
a. labor unions are more aggressive in the United States than in Italy.
b. the United States has a more industrial economy than Italy.
c. there is more competition in the United States than in Italy.
d. productivity is higher in the United States than in Italy. 60.
A worker in Bangladesh can earn $1 per day making cotton cloth on a hand loom. A worker in the
United States can earn $100 per day making cotton cloth with a mechanical loom. What accounts for the difference in wages?
a. U.S. textile workers belong to a union.
b. Labor is more productive when making cotton cloth with a mechanical loom than with a hand loom.
c. There is little demand for cotton cloth in Bangladesh and great demand in the U.S.
d. Bangladesh has a low-wage policy to make its textile industry more competitive in world markets. 61.
Almost all variation in living standards is attributable to
a. differences in countries’ population growth rates.
b. differences in countries’ endowments of natural resources.
c. differences in countries’ productivity.
d. differences in countries’ defense budgets. 62. Productivity is defined as
a. the actual amount of effort workers put into an hour of working time.
b. the number of workers required to produce a given amount of goods and services.
c. the amount of labor which can be saved by replacing workers with machines.
d. the amount of goods and services produced from each hour of a worker’s time. 63.
The primary determinant of a country’s standard of living is a. the government. b. labor unions. c. productivity. d. minimum wage laws. 64.
The historical rise in living standards of American workers is primarily a result of
a. the influence of labor unions.
b. the rise in labor productivity. c. minimum-wage laws. d. tariff protection. 65.
To increase living standards, public policy should
a. move workers into jobs directly from high school.
b. make unemployment benefits more liberal.
c. ensure that workers are well educated and have the necessary tools and technology.
d. ensure that workers have access to union membership and benefits. 66.
Concern among economists about the U.S. government’s budget deficit is based largely on
a. the likelihood that the deficit will cause the country to go bankrupt.
b. the deficit’s adverse impact on productivity.
c. the fact that part of the deficit is covered by borrowing from foreigners.
d. the fact that the deficit is covered by printing money.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
10 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 67.
Which of the following tends to decrease productivity? a. budget deficits b. education c. competition d. investment 68.
In the United States, government deficits are financed by
a. printing money, which creates inflation.
b. borrowing, which reduces funds available for investment in human and physical capital.
c. taxes, which lowers the incentive for people to work.
d. confiscating property of criminals. 69. Inflation is defined as
a. a period of rising productivity in the economy.
b. an increase in the overall level of output in the economy.
c. a period of rising income in the economy.
d. an increase in the overall level of prices in the economy. 70.
Large or persistent inflation is almost always caused by a. inefficiency. b. low productivity.
c. foreign competition.
d. growth in the quantity of money. 71. Inflation causes
a. the value of money to fall.
b. productivity to increase.
c. the government to lower taxes.
d. the value of money to rise. 72.
Which of the following is the most correct statement about the relationship between inflation and unemployment?
a. In the short run, reducing inflation is associated with rising unemployment.
b. In the short run, reducing inflation is associated with falling unemployment.
c. In the long run, reducing inflation is associated with falling unemployment.
d. In the long run, reducing inflation is associated with rising unemployment. 73.
The tradeoff between inflation and unemployment is called a. the Laffer curve. b. the Lorenz curve. c. the Demand curve. d. the Phillips curve. 74.
One explanation of the tradeoff between inflation and unemployment is that a. prices are flexible. b. prices are sticky.
c. prices always tend to rise.
d. unemployment increases demand.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 11 75.
In the early 1980s, U.S. economic policy was directed toward reducing inflation. What would you
assume about inflation and unemployment during this period? a. Inflation fell and unemployment increased.
b. Inflation and unemployment were both unaffected.
c. Inflation fell and unemployment fell.
d. Inflation fell and unemployment was unchanged.
ANSWER: a. Inflation fell and unemployment increased.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 3 OBJECTIVE: 8 RANDOM: Y 76.
Between 1929 and 1933, the U.S. economy went from a situation of full employment to one of 25%
unemployment. What do you assume happened to prices? a. Prices were unaffected.
b. Prices fell and the economy experienced deflation.
c. Prices rose and the economy experienced inflation.
d. It is impossible to guess what happened to prices from the information given. TRUE/FALSE 77.
With careful planning, we can usually get something that we like without having to give up
something else that we like. F 78.
Individuals face tradeoffs, but societies do not. F 79.
Equity means everyone in the economy should receive an equal share of the goods and services produced. F 80.
People are likely to make good decisions only if they understand the options that they have available. T 81.
Pollution regulations make society better off by raising incomes. F 82.
Equity refers to the size of the economic pie, and efficiency refers to how the pie is divided. F 83.
In economic policymaking, there is often a conflict between the goal of efficiency and the goal of equity. T 84.
When the government redistributes income from the rich to the poor, society benefits since there are more poor than rich. F 85.
For most students, tuition is the single largest cost of attending college. F 86.
The opportunity cost of something is what you give up to get it. T 87.
If an All-American basketball player decides to stay in school for his senior year rather than sign an
NBA contract, the opportunity cost to him of his final year of college could be well over $1 million. T 88.
A marginal change is a small incremental adjustment to an existing plan of action. T 89.
If the average cost of transporting a passenger on a night train from Kansas City to St. Louis is $50,
it would be irrational for the railroad to allow any passenger to ever ride for less than $50. F
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
12 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 90.
A rational decisionmaker takes an action if and only if the marginal cost exceeds the marginal benefit. F 91.
Public policies often alter the costs and benefits of private actions. T 92.
Economist Sam Peltzman found that seat belt laws caused more accidents and more pedestrian deaths. T 93.
Policy makers cannot directly affect public behavior; they can only affect public behavior indirectly. F 94.
In international trade, if one party gains, the other party loses. F 95.
Trade allows each person to specialize in the activities he or she does best, thus increasing each
individual’s productivity. T 96.
Trade makes rich nations richer and poor nations poorer. F 97.
In his book The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith observed that households and firms interacting in
markets are led by an “invisible hand” to make decisions that produce desirable outcomes for society. T 98.
When the government prevents prices from adjusting naturally to supply and demand, efficiency is improved in the economy. F 99.
A market economy cannot possibly produce a socially desirable outcome because individuals are
motivated by their own selfish interests. F
100. While the invisible hand cannot guarantee efficiency, it is better at guaranteeing equity. F
101. The two broad reasons for a government to intervene in the economy are to promote efficiency and to promote equity. T
102. Market failure refers to a situation in which the market does not allocate resources efficiently. T
103. Since taxes affect only the price paid by the buyer, they cannot have an adverse impact on the
allocation of society’s resources. F
104. A monopolist has market power. T
105. A market economy rewards people according to their ability to produce things that other people are willing to pay for. T
106. Monopoly power and income inequality are examples of market failure. F
107. Productivity is defined as the quantity of goods and services produced from each hour of a worker’s time. T
108. Better tools and technology can increase productivity and therefore living standards in countries. T
109. Almost all variation in living standards is a result of differences in countries’ productivity. T
110. Protecting domestic jobs from foreign competition is the best way to raise labor productivity. F
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 13
111. Inflation increases the value of money. F
112. If the government prints too much money, it will cause inflation. T
113. The Phillips Curve shows the short-run tradeoff between inflation and economic growth. F
114. Economists agree that monetary and fiscal policy, although not very powerful, are necessary
instruments for controlling the economy. F
115. The major cause of inflation in an economy is too much government debt. F SHORT ANSWER APPLICATION/SCENARIO
116. Give three examples each of household and societal decisions regarding the allocation of resources.
ANSWER: For households, examples would include such things as who feeds the cat, who takes out the
garbage, who fixes meals, who runs errands, etc. For society, examples would include such things
as who will produce food, who will produce computers, how land will be allocated to produce food,
locate housing, and factories, use for recreation, etc.
TYPE: S KEY1: D OBJECTIVE: 1 RANDOM: Y
117. Households face many of the same decisions that societies face. Explain why this is true.
ANSWER: Like households, societies must decide which members do which tasks and what each
member gets in return for doing those tasks. Like societies, households must allocate their scarce
resources among their members given each member's abilities, efforts and desires. TYPE: S KEY1: D OBJECTIVE: 1 RANDOM: Y
118. What would happen to the study of economics if scarcity disappeared?
ANSWER: Since economics is the study of how society allocates its scarce resources, if there was no
scarcity, there would be no need for economics. Everyone could have all the goods and services
they wanted. No one would have to make decisions based on tradeoffs, because there would be no
opportunity cost. (It is difficult to conceive of a situation where time is not scarce, however.)
TYPE: S KEY1: C OBJECTIVE: 1 RANDOM: Y
119. What does the phrase, “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” illustrate?
ANSWER: This phrase illustrates the concept of tradeoffs. It means that to get one thing that we like, we
usually have to give up another thing that we like.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 1 RANDOM: Y
120. The U.S. government redistributes income from the rich to the poor. Explain how this action affects
equity as well as efficiency in the economy.
ANSWER: Policies aimed at achieving a more equal distribution of economic well-being, such as the
welfare system, try to help those members of society who are most in need. The individual income
tax asks the financially successful to contribute more than others to support the government. When
the government redistributes income from the rich to the poor, it reduces the reward for working
hard. Fewer goods and services are produced and the economic pie gets smaller. As a result, equity
increases and efficiency decreases.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 2 RANDOM: Y
121. One tradeoff that society faces is between efficiency and equity. Define each term and explain this tradeoff.
ANSWER: Efficiency is the property of society getting the most it can from its scarce resources.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
14 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics
Equity is defined as the property of distributing economic prosperity fairly among the members of
society. Often, these two goals conflict. When the government redistributes income from the rich to
the poor, it reduces the reward for working hard. Fewer goods and services are produced and the
economic pie gets smaller. When the government tries to cut the economic pie into more equal slices, the pie gets smaller.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 2 RANDOM: Y
122. Define opportunity cost. What is the opportunity cost to you of attending college?
ANSWER: The value of the best alternative use of your time. For most students this would be the
income the student gives up by not working.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y
123. Suppose Regan enjoys hiking, skiing, and solitude. She graduates from college and needs to decide
whether to take a job in a large coastal city at a salary of $55,000 per year, or a job in a small Rocky
Mountain community at $40,000 per year. Would it be rational for her to take the lower-paying job? Explain.
ANSWER: To Regan, there is non-monetary value to living in an area which can afford her the hiking,
skiing, and solitude she enjoys. The decision to take the lower-paying job is rational if the additional
hiking, skiing, and solitude opportunities are worth at least $15,000 per year to Regan.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y
124. Stan buys a 1966 Mustang with the intention of repairing, restoring and selling it. He anticipates
that it will cost him $10,000 to purchase, repair and restore the car, and that he can sell the finished
car for $13,000. When he has spent a total of $10,000 on the project, he discovers that he needs to
replace the engine. It will cost Stan $4,000 to replace the engine. He can sell the car without the
new engine for $9,000. What should he do?
ANSWER: Stan should be indifferent between finishing the project and selling the car now. The marginal
cost of finishing the project is $4,000 and the marginal benefit of finishing the project is $13,000,
for a net marginal benefit of $9,000. The marginal cost of stopping the project now is zero, and the
marginal benefit is the $9,000 he can obtain from selling the car as is. Hence, the net marginal
benefit from stopping the project now is also $9,000.
TYPE: S KEY1: E SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y
125. What is the general rule for rational decisionmaking?
ANSWER: An action is taken only if the marginal benefit of the action exceeds the marginal cost.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y
126. A cookie shop in a mall is open from 9am to 7pm Monday through Friday. The cost of making and
selling cookies averages $.50 per cookie. At 6:30 pm Friday evening, the owner still has several
dozen unsold cookies. The cookies will not be saleable on Monday. What is the best price strategy
for the cookie shop to take? Justify your answer.
ANSWER: The owner should continually reduce the price of the cookies so that all the cookies are sold
by closing time, even if the price falls below $.50.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y
127. You must decide whether or not to attend graduate school next semester. How might you use
marginal analysis to make your decision?
ANSWER: A rational decisionmaker takes an action if and only if the marginal benefit of the action
exceeds the marginal cost. You will need to know the additional benefits that more education would
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 15
offer and the additional costs that you would incur. By comparing these marginal benefits and
marginal costs, you can determine whether the additional education is worthwhile.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y
128. With the understanding that people respond to incentives, outline the possible outcome for teachers
if the K-12 school year is extended to 11 months per year instead of the existing 9 months per year.
ANSWER: The concept of working longer per year would be perceived by many teachers as a definite
increase in the cost of teaching. Even with additional compensation, many teachers look at summers
off as a major benefit of the education profession. If this benefit were eliminated or even
diminished, some teachers may perceive that the marginal cost of teaching would now be greater
than the marginal benefit and choose to leave teaching.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y
129. Public policies often alter the costs and benefits of private actions. Why is it important for policy
makers to consider both the direct and indirect effects of public policies?
ANSWER: If policy makers don't consider how behavior might change both directly and indirectly, their
policies can have effects that they did not intend. The example used in the text is the seat belt law.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y
130. In the old days of the Soviet Union, ideology dictated that the prices of consumer goods should
decline over time. Hence, the Soviet planners consistently set the prices of goods like bread and
meat much below the cost of the materials used to produce them. They did not, however, subsidize
the prices of the goods and materials used by producers. Soviet fur breeders were supposed to
purchase animal products at high prices to feed their mink and sable, and bread and meat at low
prices to feed their families. If these producers responded to incentives, how do you think they
adjusted their purchases of grain, animal products, bread, and meat?
ANSWER: The fur breeders would have incentive to feed their mink and sable meat intended for humans
instead of animal products. They would continue to buy bread and meat for their families. (In fact,
this is what actually happened in many instances in the old Soviet Union.)
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y
131. Why is it that two individuals or nations can both gain from trade when they trade things of equal value?
ANSWER: Trade allows individuals and societies to specialize in what they do best. By trading with
others, they can obtain a variety of goods and services at a lower cost than if they produced the
goods and services themselves.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y
132. What benefits can a family realize by choosing to trade instead of being self-sufficient?
ANSWER: Trade allows each person to specialize in the activities he or she does best. By trading with
others, people can buy a greater variety of goods and services at lower cost.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y
133. Why does the United States continue to trade with a country like Japan, which places tariffs and other barriers on U.S. goods?
ANSWER: Trade between the U.S. and Japan allows both countries to specialize in what they do best,
and to purchase goods at lower costs than they can produce the goods themselves. Although the
tariffs and other barriers reduce the gains from trade, as long as trade between the U.S. and Japan
takes place, both nations must be benefitting from trade. Japan must be able to produce some goods cheaper than the U.S. can.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
16 Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics
134. Under what conditions might a government intervention in an economy improve the market outcome?
ANSWER: If there is a market failure, such as an externality or monopoly, government regulation might
improve the well-being of society by promoting efficiency. If the distribution of income or wealth is
considered to be unfair by society, government intervention might achieve a more equitable
distribution of economic well-being.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 7 RANDOM: Y
135. Adam Smith used the term “invisible hand” in his 1776 book The Wealth of Nations. Prices are the
instrument with which the invisible hand directs economic activity in a market economy. Explain.
ANSWER: Because households and firms look at prices when deciding what to buy and sell, they
unknowingly take into account the social benefits and costs of their actions. As a result, prices guide
these individual decisionmakers to reach outcomes that maximize the welfare of society as a whole.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 7 RANDOM: Y
136. Suppose that the government enforces a law which prohibits the creation of any pollution. What
effect do you think the enforcement of this law will have on the well-being of society?
ANSWER: While pollution creates an external cost to society, there is also a cost to society of
eliminating the pollution. A law which prohibits pollution considers the marginal benefit to society
of eliminating pollution, but not the marginal cost. Hence, the enforcement of the law could actually
harm society, if the cost of eliminating the pollution were greater than the benefit. In fact, such a
law would eliminate all people, because people emit CO2, a greenhouse gas.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 7 RANDOM: Y
137. Most analysts believe that the failure of communism can be blamed on the failure of central
planning to allocate resources efficiently. Why is it difficult for central planners to allocate resources efficiently?
ANSWER: Efficient allocation of resources depends on information which reflects the true marginal
benefit to society of consuming products and the true marginal cost to society of producing
products. Market prices contain this information. These prices are determined automatically in a
market economy through the interactions of the decisions of millions of households and firms. Since
the central planners do not have access to all of the information the market uses in determining
prices, it is impossible for the planners to set prices which reflect marginal benefit and marginal
cost. Therefore, it is impossible for the central planners to allocate resources efficiently.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 3 OBJECTIVE: 7 RANDOM: Y
138. Why is productivity so important in an economy and what steps can the government take to increase productivity?
ANSWER: Productivity is the primary determinant of the standard of living of a nation, and productivity
growth is the primary determinant of the growth of average income in a nation. The government can
increase productivity by ensuring that workers are well educated, have the tools needed to produce
goods and services, and have access to the best available technology.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 3 OBJECTIVE: 8 RANDOM: Y
139. Explain how an attempt by the government to lower inflation could cause unemployment to increase in the short-run.
ANSWER: To lower inflation, the government may choose to reduce the money supply in the economy.
When the money supply is reduced, prices don’t adjust immediately. Lower spending combined
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417
Chapter 1/The Ten Principles of Economics 17
with prices which are too high reduces sales and causes workers to be laid off. Hence, the lower
price level is associated with higher unemployment.
TYPE: S KEY1: D SECTION: 3 OBJECTIVE: 8 RANDOM: Y
140. Russell learned in his economics class that income depends primarily on productivity. He took a
summer job in construction, and worked very hard as a manual laborer for one month at $8 per
hour. His hard work and reliability led the foreman to give Russell a new responsibility--operating a
steel roller at $15 per hour. The new job required much less effort than the old job, and left Russell
wondering why his income had increased when his effort had gone down. How can you explain this situation to Russell?
ANSWER: Income is based on productivity, not effort. Russell was able to be more productive working
with a machine than working with a shovel.
TYPE: S KEY1: C SECTION: 3 OBJECTIVE: 8 RANDOM: Y
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc. lOMoARcPSD|47206417 1 ANSWER: a.
To get something we like, we usually have to give up another thing we like. TYPE: M KEY1: D
SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 2 RANDOM: Y 2 ANSWER: c. the $6 he could have earned.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 2 RANDOM: Y 3 ANSWER: d.
there is a tradeoff because of reduced incomes to the firms’ owners, workers, and customers.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 4 ANSWER: a.
society is getting the most it can from its scarce resources.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 5 ANSWER: d.
the benefits of society’s resources are distributed fairly among society’s members.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 6 ANSWER: b. fairness.
TYPE: M KEY 1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 7 ANSWER: b.
there is usually a tradeoff between equity and efficiency.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 8 ANSWER: c.
people work less and produce fewer goods and services.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 9 ANSWER:
c. the value of the best opportunity a student gives up to attend college. TYPE: M KEY1: C
SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 10 lOMoARcPSD|47206417 ANSWER:
d. the wages given up to attend school.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 2 RANDOM: Y 11 ANSWER: b.
what you give up to get that item.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 12 ANSWER:
b. the enjoyment she would have received had she watched the video. TYPE: M KEY1: C
SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 13 ANSWER:
c. the enjoyment and exercise he would have received had he gone for a bike ride. TYPE: M
KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 14 ANSWER:
d. are well aware that their opportunity cost of attending college is very high. TYPE: M KEY1: C
SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 15 ANSWER: c. opportunity cost.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 3 RANDOM: Y 16 ANSWER: b. comparing costs and benefits.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 17 ANSWER: d.
a small incremental adjustment.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 18 ANSWER:
c. Kim works at the college bookstore. She gets a raise from $5.15 per hour to $5.20 per hour.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 19 ANSWER: a.
the marginal benefit is greater than the marginal cost.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 20 lOMoARcPSD|47206417 ANSWER: a.
You should complete the repairs and sell the car.
TYPE: M KEY1: E SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 4 RANDOM: Y 21 ANSWER: b. incentives.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y 22 ANSWER: d. all of the above
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y 23 ANSWER: c.
little change in the number of driver deaths, but more accidents and more pedestrian deaths.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y 24 ANSWER:
c. an increase in the number of accidents.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y 25 ANSWER:
d. To produce enough to meet the output target, without regard for quality or cost. TYPE: M
KEY1: C SECTION: 1 OBJECTIVE: 5 RANDOM: Y 26 ANSWER: c. a and b
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y 27 ANSWER: b.
Trade can make every nation better off.
TYPE: M KEY1: D SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y 28 ANSWER: d.
benefits both the United States and Mexico.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y 29 ANSWER: a. with any nation.
TYPE: M KEY1: C SECTION: 2 OBJECTIVE: 6 RANDOM: Y