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.
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' x8 F2 M9 l1 r" B) T1.1 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?
, a) ?" k0 m8 B: m: \% b(a) absolute advantage (b) economies of scale (c) diminishing returns (d) comparative advantage & P" W( {* C% E. K9 D8 h' E) K/ Z
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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?
' A0 V7 { V# u- v1 U w(a) an increase in average incomes (b) a decrease in the price of apples
L: u O( S0 J5 [2 H( Z, u" Y' ~ D(c) an increase in the price of pears (d) a popular movie star says she likes apples
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1.3 If a price rise increases revenue for the good being sold, then the demand for the good must be 5 _$ f8 P: D9 K5 U# w
(a) elastic (b) inelastic (c) reflexive (d) unitary elastic
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$ v% i, w1 H8 z8 ]5 J v3 H( h1.4 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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4 Z. Q; h- l% L9 r I3 u1.5 The kinked demand curve in an oligopoly arises from assuming that `8 [- f" Q& q( k" d( v
(a) firms will follow an expansion in output but not a contraction
0 Q: s4 c+ R( K* }- Q+ Y(b) firms will follow an increase in revenue but not a decrease
7 f5 v7 D. D2 D0 V+ n) ?7 n u) V: ?(c) firms will follow prices rises but not price cuts
( S9 {' e9 }' n0 U- `. F(d) firms will follow prices cuts but not price rises
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1.6 The permanent income hypothesis implies . O0 l ~ h. Q9 i( E) g$ F- k& z& b
(a) the short run marginal propensity to consume is negative 8 c' s% a3 u$ @; R- ]+ n; ~1 E7 p1 j
(b) the short run marginal propensity to consume is greater than one
5 K$ Z$ x7 |: ?0 v, F) Y(c) the long run marginal propensity to consume is higher than the short run propensity
: ^6 K2 r) `7 D/ T* v: c0 w(d) the short run marginal propensity to consume is higher than the long run propensity
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1.7 Progressive taxes mean ! k3 c0 A+ H2 J$ R
(a) high income earners pay more tax than low income earners
5 _- F+ A/ j; l' L(b) high income earners pay a higher proportion of their incomes in tax than low income earners
3 W1 a: |' e, J( C0 E, i(c) income earners pay more tax if their income increases8 y2 F+ H4 \) N% x* Y# }8 \
(d) taxes are levied on income rather than consumption
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1.8 Street lighting, lighthouses and defense are examples of & @2 v2 r) V Y* ~
(a) public goods (b) merit goods (c) giffin goods (d) inferior goods ) ~: D! _) }8 E; D
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1.9 Which of the following must increase the terms of trade?7 y4 @" s& ?7 n6 E- _7 h
(a) an increase in export prices and a fall in import prices
& Z3 e$ G1 }) ~(b) an increase in export prices and an increase in import prices 2 T8 O/ K c# F
(c) an increase in export quantities and a fall in import quantities 0 m$ V7 {- k: `: V: a- T; V: P
(d) a fall in export prices and an increase in import prices
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1.10 The “J—curve” shows that following a depreciation
$ G3 T3 f' X+ ^1 ?: v" ~3 v5 h, R% ?(a) the quantity of exports falls, making the current account balance worse L& k) [( A4 u; Q: {. ?. R
(b) there is an improvement in the balance of payments so long as the Marshall—Lerner conditions are met: A8 P& t2 ]0 {5 e/ w$ X' ], B& p
(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 / }' ~ t* E' Y& o# h: ?: F7 V
(d) there is an initial drop in imports but this is later reversed |