BASIC ECONOMICS June 2002 SECTION ONE Question 1 (Total: 20 marks) Answer all questions. Read the following statements and choose the best answer by writing the alphabetical letter on the answer sheets. # h, \0 h# u, t& ~- V" \
* A- M' I# l$ | ~* F, Z1.1 Mr Wang, a lawyer, is a better typist than his secretary, but he still has her to do the typing. What economic principle, much used in trade theory, does this illustrated?
3 w2 s F4 E) J" f3 _& {(a) absolute advantage (b) economies of scale (c) diminishing returns (d) comparative advantage ' i, x# j( r7 W5 c) }1 v
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1.2 The following four events may all increase the amount of apples demanded, but which one causes a movement along the demand curve? N$ d6 W+ [( I
(a) an increase in average incomes (b) a decrease in the price of apples ) b/ l; G6 B1 t- Y+ e$ o% ^
(c) an increase in the price of pears (d) a popular movie star says she likes apples
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9 l% s$ _$ g( G. h4 Z0 f: c1.3 If a price rise increases revenue for the good being sold, then the demand for the good must be & ]! e3 @& P( x0 ^) q
(a) elastic (b) inelastic (c) reflexive (d) unitary elastic
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2 n$ Q! k/ e% f( @3 e* v/ o1.4 A company that makes cars buys companies which makes tyres, glass and steel. This is an example of (a) vertical integration (b) horizontal integration (c) monopoly (d) oligopoly
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1.5 The kinked demand curve in an oligopoly arises from assuming that
' T* S, S5 J( J+ U( b3 V4 @* F(a) firms will follow an expansion in output but not a contraction ! s) o3 }. w! F, f+ @ k# F
(b) firms will follow an increase in revenue but not a decrease
! Z+ d, F( } B, i0 A; b. Y(c) firms will follow prices rises but not price cuts , O1 H4 Y+ r) I9 k6 r
(d) firms will follow prices cuts but not price rises
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" a( \2 A; C5 H5 P7 m+ Y5 Z8 V1.6 The permanent income hypothesis implies
9 g- X6 W. {/ }+ m6 e, m; y(a) the short run marginal propensity to consume is negative 8 B" H8 [) `1 h5 w' f% A
(b) the short run marginal propensity to consume is greater than one7 t9 n3 S" Q) i6 W" K0 e
(c) the long run marginal propensity to consume is higher than the short run propensity
$ N% Z) c& M$ `4 z+ F9 o(d) the short run marginal propensity to consume is higher than the long run propensity 7 u, H& u1 K' d! b
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1.7 Progressive taxes mean
7 {+ w9 L5 k( T4 e0 I$ L(a) high income earners pay more tax than low income earners \0 m4 G8 P- J) T
(b) high income earners pay a higher proportion of their incomes in tax than low income earners
9 O! i& ?. g# j. x(c) income earners pay more tax if their income increases
W& s8 T) f# T' `# Z! w(d) taxes are levied on income rather than consumption ! K) R2 G! R, |4 w, C v
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1.8 Street lighting, lighthouses and defense are examples of
8 \" [7 P0 x1 i7 R(a) public goods (b) merit goods (c) giffin goods (d) inferior goods 1 \* [( j8 Q& e F. g+ I( L
& b- F2 f; h' o- z) n! W( G1.9 Which of the following must increase the terms of trade?+ X& q" ~+ t+ w* C+ i2 C% f3 P: X
(a) an increase in export prices and a fall in import prices - K: y. h& S5 r9 A- h+ q; f& h) f
(b) an increase in export prices and an increase in import prices
# T0 u- G; M+ u3 t' @ K3 X' _(c) an increase in export quantities and a fall in import quantities 0 M: v3 K* T) x" A* _6 M
(d) a fall in export prices and an increase in import prices ' e! |# X, n% J+ `! E" w9 y9 G4 B
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1.10 The “J—curve” shows that following a depreciation
& h. ~1 g/ a1 {& v(a) the quantity of exports falls, making the current account balance worse
+ o q5 L6 s( f6 L5 E(b) there is an improvement in the balance of payments so long as the Marshall—Lerner conditions are met
3 a& ]' h0 x+ {2 T* C( b(c) the cost of imports rises immediately from the price effect, worsening the current account balance, but later quantities of imports and exports respond and the current account balance improves 3 S7 |! l) K0 _* g
(d) there is an initial drop in imports but this is later reversed |