Exam
Name___________________________________
 
MULTIPLE CHOICE.  Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question. 
1) 

A modern economy like Canada's is largely organized by 

1) 

_______ 
A) 

individuals forming cooperative enterprises and labour unions. 
B) 

the self-interested behaviour of a small number of individuals. 
C) 

governments at all levels coordinating the activities of firms and citizens. 
D) 

individuals following their own self interest, doing what seems best for themselves. 
E) 

benevolent individuals pursuing the public interest. 

 
2) 

An insight first fully developed by Adam Smith is that 

2) 

_______ 
A) 

all individuals are motivated solely by self-interest. 
B) 

self-interest, not benevolence, is the foundation of economic order. 
C) 

individual self-interest is the only necessary force for social order. 
D) 

self-interest undermines effective economic order. 
E) 

without benevolence production would not occur. 

 
3) 

Karl Marx argued that 

3) 

_______ 
A) 

centrally planned economies could provide a more equitable distribution of total output than capitalist economies. 
B) 

benevolence, not self-interest, produced an effective economic order. 
C) 

a free-market system would produce a low level of total output. 
D) 

technological change was not important in improving living standards. 
E) 

the unfettered market system driven by self-interest leads to the best social outcome. 

 
4) 

In the Canadian economy, most decisions regarding resource allocation are made by 

4) 

_______ 
A) 

the various levels of government. 
B) 

legal contract. 
C) 

business firms only. 
D) 

negotiation between unions and firms. 
E) 

consumers and producers interacting in the price system. 

 
5) 

A basic underlying point in economics is that 

5) 

_______ 
A) 

people have unlimited wants in the face of limited resources. 
B) 

governments should satisfy the needs of the people. 
C) 

governments should never interfere in the workings of a market economy. 
D) 

there are unlimited resources. 
E) 

people have limited wants in the face of limited resources. 

 
6) 

Economics is the study of 

6) 

_______ 
A) 

the allocation of scarce resources among alternative uses. 
B) 

how to plan an economy. 
C) 

how to distribute income as equally as possible. 
D) 

how to limit human wants so that scarce resources are sufficient. 
E) 

why resources are scarce. 

 
7) 

Economics is generally NOT concerned with 

7) 

_______ 
A) 

restricting the level of human wants. 
B) 

the concept of opportunity cost. 
C) 

the distribution of income among households. 
D) 

the allocation of resources among alternative uses. 
E) 

the rate of growth of productive capacity. 

 
8) 

Economics can best be described as  

8) 

_______ 
A) 

the study of how a society ought to allocate its resources. 
B) 

the study of how to reduce inflation and unemployment. 
C) 

a normative science. 
D) 

the study of the use of scarce resources to satisfy unlimited human wants. 
E) 

the application of sophisticated mathematical models to address social problems. 

 
9) 

Consider the following list a worker with training in video gaming technology, 10 hectares of arable land in southern Ontario, a fishing trawler in Nova Scotia, an ice-cream truck at a park in Quebec.  Each of these is an example of  

9) 

_______ 
A) 

a capital resource. 
B) 

an economic service. 
C) 

goods and services. 
D) 

a commodity. 
E) 

a factor of production. 

 
10) 

Scarcity is likely to be 

10) 

______ 
A) 

a result of the work ethic. 
B) 

a problem that will be solved by the proper use of available resources. 
C) 

eliminated with a better understanding of economics. 
D) 

unique to the twentieth century. 
E) 

a problem that will always exist. 

 
11) 

The concept of scarcity in economics usually refers to a condition 

11) 

______ 
A) 

where people's wants can never be satisfied by the available resources. 
B) 

where too many frivolous goods and services are produced at the expense of socially desirable goods and services. 
C) 

where society is not employing all of its available resources in an efficient manner. 
D) 

where production is efficient, but distribution is inefficient. 
E) 

that afflicts only poor countries. 

 
12) 

Which of the following statements best describes the underlying feature in most economic problems? 

12) 

______ 
A) 

People have unlimited wants in the face of limited resources. 
B) 

Governments should never interfere in the workings of a market economy. 
C) 

Our country is rich; we just don't realize it. 
D) 

People have limited wants in the face of limited resources. 
E) 

There are unlimited resources. 

 
13) 

Because resources are scarce, individuals are required to 

13) 

______ 
A) 

use resources inefficiently. 
B) 

sacrifice production but not consumption. 
C) 

improve distribution but not production. 
D) 

make choices among alternatives. 
E) 

improve production but not distribution. 

 
With a budget of $200 million, the government can choose to purchase 4 helicopters or repair 200 km of highway. 

FIGURE 1-1
 
14) 

Refer to Figure 1-1. For the government, the opportunity cost of one search and rescue helicopter is 

14) 

______ 
A) 

200 kilometres of highway repair. 
B) 

100 kilometres of highway repair. 
C) 

50 kilometres of highway repair. 
D) 

150 kilometres of highway repair. 
E) 

0 kilometres of highway repair. 

 
15) 

Refer to Figure 1-1. For the government, the opportunity cost of one kilometre of highway repair is 

15) 

______ 
A) 

1/2 of a search and rescue helicopter. 
B) 

1 search and rescue helicopter. 
C) 

1/10 of a search and rescue helicopter. 
D) 

1/100 of a search and rescue helicopter. 
E) 

1/50 of a search and rescue helicopter. 

 
16) 

Refer to Figure 1-1. If the government chooses to allocate all $200 million to highway repair, we can say that 

16) 

______ 
A) 

the opportunity cost of the highway repair is 4 search and rescue helicopters. 
B) 

there is no opportunity cost involved because the government stayed within its budget. 
C) 

the opportunity cost of the highway repair is $0. 
D) 

the opportunity cost of the highway repair is uncertain. 
E) 

there is no opportunity cost involved because the government has achieved its objectives. 

 
17) 

Refer to Figure 1-1. Which of the following combinations of kilometres of highway repair and helicopters is unaffordable, given the government's budget of $200 million. 

17) 

______ 
A) 

F 

B) 

G 

C) 

B 

D) 

E 

E) 

D 

 
The table below illustrates that, in one day, Tristan can produce either 12 fishing lures or mow 3 lawns, while Thomas can produce either 6 fishing lures or mow 6 lawns.

	Fishing lures	Mowed lawns	
Tristan	12	3	
Thomas	  6	6	

TABLE 1-1
 
18) 

Refer to Table 1-1. What is Tristan's opportunity cost of producing one fishing lure? 

18) 

______ 
A) 

1/3 of a mowed lawn 
B) 

1/4 of a mowed lawn 
C) 

4 mowed lawns 
D) 

3 mowed lawns 
E) 

one mowed lawn 

 
19) 

Refer to Table 1-1. What is Thomas's opportunity cost of producing one fishing lure? 

19) 

______ 
A) 

5 lures 
B) 

there is no opportunity cost 
C) 

1/6 of a mowed lawn 
D) 

1 mowed lawn 
E) 

1/6 of a lure 

 
20) 

Refer to Table 1-1. What is Tristan's opportunity cost of producing one mowed lawn? 

20) 

______ 
A) 

one fishing lure 
B) 

3 fishing lures 
C) 

6 fishing lures 
D) 

12 fishing lures 
E) 

4 fishing lures 

 
21) 

Refer to Table 1-1. What is Thomas's opportunity cost of producing one mowed lawn? 

21) 

______ 
A) 

1/6 fishing lure 
B) 

one fishing lure 
C) 

6 fishing lures 
D) 

12 fishing lures 
E) 

0 fishing lures 

 
22) 

Refer to Table 1-1. If Tristan and Thomas want to maximize their joint output from one day of work, how should they specialize their production? 

22) 

______ 
A) 

Tristan produces 3 mowed lawns; Thomas produces 6 mowed lawns 
B) 

Tristan produces nothing, Thomas produces 6 lures and 6 mowed lawns 
C) 

Tristan produces 12 lures; Thomas produces 6 mowed lawns 
D) 

Tristan produces 6 lures; Thomas produces 6 lures 
E) 

Tristan produces 6 lures and 3 mowed lawns 

 
23) 

Refer to Table 1-1. Which of the following statements about Tristan's and Thomas's opportunity costs is correct? 

23) 

______ 
A) 

Tristan has a higher opportunity cost of producing mowed lawns. 
B) 

Tristan has a higher opportunity cost of producing fishing lures. 
C) 

Thomas has a higher opportunity cost of producing mowed lawns. 
D) 

Thomas has a higher opportunity cost of producing fishing lures. 
E) 

Both A and D are correct. 

 
Madeleine allows herself $100 per month for purchasing coffee. The diagram below illustrates the choices available to her.

FIGURE 1-2
 
24) 

Refer to Figure 1-2.  For Madeleine, the opportunity cost of one regular coffee is  

24) 

______ 
A) 

80 lattes. 
B) 

1/4 of a regular coffee. 
C) 

1/4 of a latte. 
D) 

20 lattes 
E) 

4 lattes. 

 
25) 

Refer to Figure 1-2.  For Madeleine, the opportunity cost of one latte is 

25) 

______ 
A) 

80 regular coffees. 
B) 

1/4 of a latte. 
C) 

4 regular coffees. 
D) 

1/4 of a regular coffee. 
E) 

8 regular coffees. 

 
26) 

Refer to Figure 1-2.  If Madeleine chooses to allocate all $100 to buying lattes, we can say that her opportunity cost in one month is  

26) 

______ 
A) 

80 cups of regular coffee. 
B) 

20 cups of regular coffee. 
C) 

zero because she stayed within her budget. 
D) 

zero because she bought what she desired. 
E) 

40  cups of regular coffee. 

 
27) 

Refer to Figure 1-2.  Which of the following combinations of regular coffees and lattes is affordable over the one-month period, given  Madeleine's budget? 

27) 

______ 
A) 

16 lattes and 16 coffees 
B) 

4 lattes and 66 coffees 
C) 

20 lattes and 80 coffees 
D) 

15 lattes and 30 coffees 
E) 

8 lattes and 50 coffees 

 
The table below shows that, in one day, Claire can complete either 3 chemistry or 2 biology lab reports, while Sam can complete either 4 chemistry or 3 biology lab reports.

	Chemistry Lab Reports	Biology Lab Reports	
Claire	3	2	
Sam	4	3	

TABLE 1-2
 
28) 

Refer to  Table 1-2.  What is Claire's opportunity cost of completing 1 chemistry lab report? 

28) 

______ 
A) 

 of a biology lab report 
B) 

1 biology lab reports 
C) 

2 biology lab reports 
D) 

3 biology lab reports 
E) 

of a biology lab report 

 
29) 

Refer to  Table 1-2.   What is Sam's opportunity cost of completing 1 chemistry lab  report? 

29) 

______ 
A) 

 of a biology lab report 
B) 

 of a biology lab report 
C) 

3 of a biology lab report 
D) 

 of a biology lab report 
E) 

4 of a biology lab report 

 
30) 

Refer to  Table 1-2.   What is Sam's opportunity cost of completing 3 biology lab reports?  

30) 

______ 
A) 

1 chemistry lab reports 
B) 

0 chemistry lab reports 
C) 

2 chemistry lab reports 
D) 

3 chemistry lab reports 
E) 

4 chemistry lab reports 

 
31) 

Refer to  Table 1-2.   What is Sam's opportunity cost of completing 2 biology lab reports?  

31) 

______ 
A) 

 of a chemistry lab report 
B) 

1  chemistry lab reports 
C) 

4 chemistry lab reports 
D) 

2   chemistry lab reports 
E) 

 of a chemistry lab report 

 
32) 

Refer to  Table 1-2.   Which of the following statements about Claire's and Sam's  opportunity costs is correct? 

32) 

______ 
A) 

Claire has a  higher opportunity cost for completing 1 biology lab report. 
B) 

Claire has a higher opportunity cost for completing 1 chemistry lab report. 
C) 

Sam has a higher opportunity cost for completing 1 biology lab report. 
D) 

Claire and Sam have equal opportunity costs. 
E) 

Sam has a lower opportunity cost for completing 1 chemistry lab report. 

 
33) 

Scarcity arises from limited resources. For this reason, all economic choices involve 

33) 

______ 
A) 

a value judgement. 
B) 

complementary ends. 
C) 

pride. 
D) 

greed. 
E) 

an opportunity cost. 

 
34) 

The opportunity cost of going to college or university for four years is 

34) 

______ 
A) 

the cost of tuition and books and four years of lost wages from employment. 
B) 

the cost of tuition, residence fees and books. 
C) 

zero. 
D) 

equal to the wage rate a person will earn after graduation. 
E) 

the least valued alternative one forfeits to attend. 

 
35) 

Suppose there are three alternatives to attending a social event read a novel (you value this at $10), go to work (you could earn $20), or watch videos with some friends (you value this at $25). The opportunity cost of attending the social event is 

35) 

______ 
A) 

$45. 

B) 

zero. 

C) 

$20. 

D) 

$25. 

E) 

$10. 

 
36) 

The opportunity cost of producing good A is defined to be  

36) 

______ 
A) 

the retail price of good A. 
B) 

the money cost of the factors of production used in good A. 
C) 

the cheapest method of producing good A. 
D) 

what must be sacrificed of other goods to get an additional unit of good A. 
E) 

the cost of having to get by using something else in place of good A. 

 
37) 

Suppose that  one unit of labour can produce either 5 units of wool or 2 pineapples. What is the opportunity cost of producing 1 pineapple? 

37) 

______ 
A) 

zero 
B) 

2 units of wool 
C) 

2/5 unit of wool 
D) 

5/2 units of wool 
E) 

5 units of wool 

 
38) 

Katie and Hugh are producing pies and jars of pickles. Katie can produce either 200 jars of pickles or 100 pies per month. Hugh can produce either 800 jars of pickles or 200 pies per month.  

38) 

______ 
A) 

Hugh's and Katie's opportunity costs of producing are the same. 
B) 

Katie's opportunity cost of producing 1 jar of pickles is 2 pies. 
C) 

Hugh's opportunity cost of producing 1 pie is 1/4 jar of pickles. 
D) 

Hugh's opportunity cost of producing 1 jar of pickles is 4  pies. 
E) 

Katie's opportunity cost of producing 1 jar of pickles  is 1/2 of a pie. 

 
39) 

Suppose Andrea has a job that pays her $25 000 per year (after taxes). She is considering quitting her job and going to university full time for four years. Tuition fees and books will cost $12 000 per year. Living expenses will cost $10 000 per year. What is the opportunity cost of Andrea's four-year university degree? 

39) 

______ 
A) 

$88 000 

B) 

$100 000 

C) 

$120 000 

D) 

$148 000 

E) 

$188 000 

 
40) 

It has been observed that university enrollment in Canada is higher during periods of high unemployment. A possible explanation for this is that 

40) 

______ 
A) 

during periods of high unemployment, tuition fees are reduced. 
B) 

when prospects for getting a job are poor, the opportunity cost of doing nothing is higher. 
C) 

when prospects for getting a job are poor, the opportunity cost of getting a job is lower. 
D) 

when prospects for getting a job are poor, the opportunity cost of going to university is lower. 
E) 

during periods of high unemployment, the opportunity cost is no longer relevant. 

 
41) 

A country's production possibilities boundary shows that  

41) 

______ 
A) 

all points inside the boundary are preferred to all points on the boundary. 
B) 

when a society combines its resources efficiently, it cannot produce more of one good without producing less of the other good. 
C) 

when a society combines its resources inefficiently, it cannot produce more of one good without producing less of the other good. 
D) 

when a society combines its resources efficiently, it is always possible to produce more of all goods. 
E) 

the supply for goods always exceeds the demand. 

 
42) 

Consider a production possibilities boundary showing the possible combinations of military goods and civilian goods that a country can produce. Suppose that the country is currently at a point on the boundary. If the production of military goods is increased, the production of civilian goods will necessarily 

42) 

______ 
A) 

increase at a decreasing rate. 
B) 

remain the same. 
C) 

decrease. 
D) 

increase. 
E) 

increase at a increasing rate. 

 
43) 

A point lying inside the production possibilities boundary is one at which 

43) 

______ 
A) 

more output could be produced with existing resources. 
B) 

there is no scarcity. 
C) 

the economy has run out of resources. 
D) 

the opportunity cost of producing more output is negative. 
E) 

it is not possible to produce more output with existing resources. 

 
44) 

If a country's production possibilities boundary is drawn as a straight (downward-sloping) line it indicates 

44) 

______ 
A) 

increasing opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
B) 

decreasing opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
C) 

constant opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
D) 

the use of the scarce resources in an economy. 
E) 

an unfair distribution of resources in an economy. 

 
The diagram below shows two production possibilities boundaries for Country X.

FIGURE 1-3
 
45) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. That the production possibilities boundaries are drawn concave to the origin reflects the 

45) 

______ 
A) 

constant opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
B) 

decreasing opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
C) 

unfair distribution of resources in the economy. 
D) 

increasing opportunity cost of producing more of either good. 
E) 

scarcity of resources in the economy. 

 
46) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. If Country X, constrained by the production possibilities boundary PPB1, is producing the combination of goods indicated at point F, it can produce more consumer goods by moving to one of the points 

46) 

______ 
A) 

A, B, C, D, or E. 
B) 

A or B, but not C. 
C) 

D or E 
D) 

A, B, or C. 
E) 

A or E. 

 
47) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. If Country X is currently producing at point A, it could move to point B if 

47) 

______ 
A) 

some resources were switched from the consumption goods industries to the capital goods industries. 
B) 

the cost of producing capital goods were to increase. 
C) 

some resources were switched from the capital goods industries to the consumption goods industries. 
D) 

the cost of producing consumer goods were to increase. 
E) 

Country X is no longer able to produce the quantity of capital goods at point A. 

 
48) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. If Country X were producing at point C, 

48) 

______ 
A) 

it is not possible to move to any point on PPB1 or PPB2 without technological progress. 
B) 

the opportunity cost of moving to point A is zero. 
C) 

the opportunity cost of moving to point B is to give up some consumption goods. 
D) 

this is the maximum output possible from given resources. 
E) 

the opportunity cost of moving to point A is to give up some capital goods. 

 
49) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. At point B,  

49) 

______ 
A) 

Country X is producing too many consumption goods and too few capital goods. 
B) 

the opportunity cost of producing an extra unit of consumption goods is higher than at point A. 
C) 

the price of consumption goods is equal to the price of capital goods. 
D) 

the opportunity cost of producing an extra unit of capital goods is higher than at point A. 
E) 

the price of capital goods is higher than the price of consumption goods. 

 
50) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. If Country X, constrained by the production possibilities boundary PPB1, is currently producing at point A, it can produce more capital goods by moving to point 

50) 

______ 
A) 

F. 

B) 

E. 

C) 

B. 

D) 

D. 

E) 

C. 

 
51) 

Refer to Figure 1-3.  Suppose that Country X is currently producing at point E. Country X could achieve production at point D if 

51) 

______ 
A) 

sufficient improvements in technology occurred in either the capital goods industry or the consumer goods industries.  
B) 

the given resources were fully employed. 
C) 

the prices of capital goods and consumption goods fell. 
D) 

firms reduced output of capital goods. 
E) 

the given resources were more efficiently employed. 

 
52) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. A shift of the production possibilities boundary from PPB1 to PPB2 implies 

52) 

______ 
A) 

a movement from full employment to some unemployment. 
B) 

that technology in the consumption goods industry has improved. 
C) 

that technology in the capital goods industries has improved. 
D) 

an inevitable decrease in total output. 
E) 

that if point E is the new choice of outputs, productivity has increased in the consumption goods industry. 

 
53) 

Refer to Figure 1-3. Growth in the country's productive capacity is illustrated by  

53) 

______ 
A) 

a point like D outside the boundary. 
B) 

an outward shift of the boundary, for example from PPB1 to PPB2. 
C) 

a movement from a point inside the boundary such as C to the boundary. 
D) 

the movement between points on a given boundary. 
E) 

a single point such as A on the boundary. 

 

FIGURE 1-4
 
54) 

Refer to Figure 1-4.  Suppose that the relevant production possibilities boundary is the one labelled B. This boundary implies that 

54) 

______ 
A) 

consumer goods are preferred to capital goods. 
B) 

capital goods are preferred to consumer goods. 
C) 

in this society the resources are not efficiently employed. 
D) 

the opportunity cost of producing either capital goods or consumer goods does not depend on how much of each good is produced. 
E) 

the concept of opportunity cost is not at work in this economy. 

 
55) 

Refer to Figure 1-4.  Which production possibilities boundaries are consistent with increasing opportunity costs? 

55) 

______ 
A) 

boundaries B and C 
B) 

boundaries A and B 
C) 

boundary A only 
D) 

boundaries A, B, and C 
E) 

boundary C only 

 
56) 

Refer to Figure 1-4.  Which production possibilities boundaries exhibit decreasing opportunity costs? 

56) 

______ 
A) 

boundaries A and C 
B) 

boundary A only 
C) 

boundaries A and B 
D) 

boundary B only 
E) 

boundary C only 

 
57) 

If there is always a three-for-one trade-off between the production of goods X and Y, then the production possibilities boundary for X and Y is 

57) 

______ 
A) 

a downward-sloping straight line. 
B) 

a downward-sloping straight line that is broken at one point. 
C) 

semi-circular. 
D) 

a downward-sloping curve concave to the origin. 
E) 

a downward-sloping curve convex to the origin. 

 
58) 

On a diagram of a production possibilities boundary, the concept of scarcity is illustrated by the 

58) 

______ 
A) 

negative slope of the boundary. 
B) 

points on the boundary. 
C) 

distance from the origin to the boundary. 
D) 

unattainable points outside the boundary. 
E) 

area within the boundary. 

 
59) 

On a diagram of a production possibilities boundary, the concept of opportunity cost is illustrated by the 

59) 

______ 
A) 

unattainable points outside the boundary. 
B) 

boundary being concave to the origin. 
C) 

negative slope of the boundary. 
D) 

distance from the origin to the boundary. 
E) 

area bounded by the two axes and the boundary. 

 
60) 

A straight-line production possibilities boundary differs from a concave boundary in which of the following ways? 

60) 

______ 
A) 

The concave boundary illustrates constant opportunity costs, whereas the straight-line boundary illustrates decreasing opportunity costs. 
B) 

A straight-line boundary is associated with a command economy, whereas a concave boundary is associated with a free-market economy. 
C) 

The straight-line boundary shows opportunity cost, whereas the concave boundary does not. 
D) 

The straight-line boundary illustrates constant opportunity costs, whereas the concave boundary illustrates increasing opportunity costs. 
E) 

The straight-line boundary does not show scarcity, whereas the concave boundary does. 

 
61) 

Suppose a scientific breakthrough leads to a lower-cost method of producing battery-operated cars in Canada. The likely effect would be to move Canada's current production 

61) 

______ 
A) 

above the level of U.S. production. 
B) 

to a point beyond its new production possibilities boundary. 
C) 

to a point inside its new production possibilities boundary. 
D) 

 possibilities boundary inward. 
E) 

possibilities boundary outward. 

 
62) 

Suppose fire destroy many millions of hectares of valuable Canadian forest. The effect on the Canadian economy would be best illustrated by ________ the production possibilities boundary. 

62) 

______ 
A) 

a shift outward of 
B) 

a movement along 
C) 

an inward shift of 
D) 

a movement inside 
E) 

a movement to a point beyond  

 
63) 

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, millions of people immigrated to western Canada. The effect on the Canadian economy was to 

63) 

______ 
A) 

move it inside its new production possibilities boundary. 
B) 

move it along an unchanged production possibilities boundary. 
C) 

shift its production possibilities boundary inward. 
D) 

shift its production possibilities boundary outward. 
E) 

move it beyond its new production possibilities boundary. 

 
64) 

A move from inside the production possibilities boundary to the boundary itself could be caused by 

64) 

______ 
A) 

a reallocation of resources from military to civilian goods. 
B) 

technological progress. 
C) 

the employment of previously idle resources. 
D) 

an improvement in the government's ability to control its spending. 
E) 

an increase in the labour supply. 

 
65) 

Consider a production possibilities boundary showing the quantity of military goods and the quantity of civilian goods on the two axes. A movement along the production possibilities boundary could be caused by 

65) 

______ 
A) 

the reallocation of resources between military and civilian goods. 
B) 

technological progress. 
C) 

the growth of productive capacity. 
D) 

the employment of previously idle resources. 
E) 

an increase in the labour supply. 

 
The downward-sloping line in the diagram below shows the combinations of health care and education expenditures that the government can afford with a given amount of tax revenue.

FIGURE 1-5
 
66) 

Refer to Figure 1-5. The levels of health and education expenditures at point C 

66) 

______ 
A) 

are less than at point D. 
B) 

are equal to those of point A and point B. 
C) 

are not attainable with the government's current budget. 
D) 

could be achieved if the prices of health and/or education increased. 
E) 

are more cost-effective than those at points A, B, and D. 

 
67) 

Refer to Figure 1-5. If the government's spending on health and education is given by point B, a move to point A must involve 

67) 

______ 
A) 

less spending on education. 
B) 

less spending in total. 
C) 

zero opportunity cost. 
D) 

more spending on education. 
E) 

less spending on health. 

 
68) 

Refer to Figure 1-5. Suppose the government's current spending is shown by point D. In this case, 

68) 

______ 
A) 

the prices of education and health care have increased beyond the government's ability to pay. 
B) 

more education expenditures can be achieved only by sacrificing some health expenditures. 
C) 

the government is not spending its total budget. 
D) 

more health expenditures can be achieved only by sacrificing some education expenditures. 
E) 

the government should spend its total budget so as to get to point B, since more health spending and more education spending are both clearly desirable. 

 
69) 

Consider the production possibilities boundary (PPB) of an economy.  Economic growth is illustrated by 

69) 

______ 
A) 

an outward shift of the PPB. 
B) 

the negative slope of the PPB. 
C) 

a movement onto the PPB. 
D) 

the movement to a point outside of the PPB. 
E) 

a movement along the PPB. 

 
70) 

Suppose drought destroys many millions of acres of valuable Canadian farmland. The effect on the Canadian economy would be to move 

70) 

______ 
A) 

its production possibilities boundary inward. 
B) 

it along its production possibilities boundary. 
C) 

it beyond its production possibilities boundary. 
D) 

its production possibilities boundary outward. 
E) 

none of the above. There would be no change in Canada's production possibilities boundary. 

 
71) 

Suppose there are only two goods produced in our economysnowplows and helicopters. If there is always a two-for-one tradeoff between the production of these two goods (in terms of opportunity cost), then the production possibilities boundary between snowplows and helicopters is 

71) 

______ 
A) 

a downward-sloping straight line. 
B) 

a downward-sloping curve convex to the origin. 
C) 

a downward-sloping curve concave to the origin. 
D) 

circular. 
E) 

a downward-sloping straight line with slope equal to -1. 

 
72) 

Labour services are bought and sold in a 

72) 

______ 
A) 

factor market. 
B) 

foreign exchange market. 
C) 

goods market. 
D) 

product market. 
E) 

mixed market. 

 
73) 

In the circular flow of income, the allocation of resources is largely decided by 

73) 

______ 
A) 

central authorities and firms only. 
B) 

firms and households acting independently. 
C) 

political parties and firms only. 
D) 

central authorities only. 
E) 

individuals only. 

 
74) 

The key decision makers in a market economy are 

74) 

______ 
A) 

governments and all institutions under government control. 
B) 

corporations and governments. 
C) 

large corporations and labour organizations. 
D) 

individual citizens, non-profit organizations, and the Bank of Canada. 
E) 

households, firms, and government. 

 
75) 

Economists usually assume that households and firms, respectively, maximize 

75) 

______ 
A) 

savings and profits. 
B) 

wages and revenues. 
C) 

expenditures and profits. 
D) 

utility and profits. 
E) 

income and sales. 

 
76) 

Economists usually assume that households 

76) 

______ 
A) 

make consistent decisions, maximize savings, and are the principal users of the factors of production. 
B) 

make consistent decisions, maximize utility, and are the principal owners of the factors of production. 
C) 

make consistent decisions, maximize profits, and are the principal users of the factors of production. 
D) 

do not make consistent decisions, maximize profits, and are the principal users of the factors of production. 
E) 

do not make consistent decisions, maximize satisfaction, and are the principal owners of the factors of production. 

 
77) 

The circular flow of income illustrates 

77) 

______ 
A) 

that there is no relationship between goods markets and factor markets. 
B) 

the interaction of households and firms through the factors and goods markets. 
C) 

that the flow of payments  moves in the same direction as the flow of goods. 
D) 

that firms own the factors of production. 
E) 

the flows of expenditures and income in a household. 

 
78) 

One of the "real" flows in the circular flow of income is 

78) 

______ 
A) 

goods going from producers to consumers. 
B) 

money payments going from consumers to producers. 
C) 

factor services going from producers to consumers. 
D) 

money payments going from producers to consumers. 
E) 

goods going from consumers to producers. 

 
79) 

If some income earned by households is not spent on output, or if some income earned by firms is not spent on factor services,  the circular flow of income will 

79) 

______ 
A) 

explode. 

B) 

stop. 

C) 

run over. 

D) 

expand. 

E) 

contract. 

 
80) 

The famous economist who developed the idea of the division of labour was 

80) 

______ 
A) 

John Maynard Keynes. 
B) 

David Ricardo. 
C) 

Milton Friedman. 
D) 

Adam Smith. 
E) 

Karl Marx. 

 
81) 

Specialization and trade 

81) 

______ 
A) 

arose as humans changed from nomadic and self-sufficient food gatherers to settled food producers. 
B) 

*-exist only in capitalist economies. 
C) 

occur only in the private sector. 
D) 

developed only where government and political institutions were stable. 
E) 

developed only in the twentieth century. 

 
82) 

Specialization of labour means that 

82) 

______ 
A) 

different individuals produce different products. 
B) 

different individuals perform different tasks in the production process of any given product. 
C) 

job security is ensured. 
D) 

a barter economy is not necessary. 
E) 

each worker is self-sufficient. 

 
83) 

A barter system of exchange 

83) 

______ 
A) 

requires the use of money. 
B) 

does not involve the double coincidence of wants. 
C) 

developed late in history. 
D) 

involves the trading of goods directly for other goods 
E) 

is the most efficient form of exchange. 

 
84) 

Katie and Hugh are producing pies and jars of pickles. Katie can produce either 200 jars of pickles or 100 pies per month. Hugh can produce either 800 jars of pickles or 200 pies per month. Currently, each divide their time equally between production of the two goods per month -- Katie produces 100 jars of pickles and 50 pies while Hugh produces 400 jars of pickles and 100 pies. In order for Katie and Hugh to jointly gain from specialization, which of the following changes should take place? 

84) 

______ 
A) 

Katie and Hugh should both produce more pies and fewer jars of pickles. 
B) 

Katie should produce more jars of pickles and fewer pies. 
C) 

Katie and Hugh should both produce more jars of pickles and fewer pies. 
D) 

Hugh should produce more pies and fewer jars of pickles. 
E) 

Katie should produce more pies and fewer jars of pickles. 

 
85) 

Specialization of labour led to greater efficiency in the allocation of resources because of 

85) 

______ 
A) 

the opportunity cost of labour increased. 
B) 

greater reliance on self-sufficiency. 
C) 

the principle of comparative advantage. 
D) 

an increase in total work effort. 
E) 

the use of barter. 

 
86) 

One of the major results of the greater specialization of labour is that  

86) 

______ 
A) 

the overall output of the economy declines. 
B) 

there is an increased need for government to intervene in the marketplace. 
C) 

the circular flow of income contracts. 
D) 

each worker must become more self-sufficient. 
E) 

there is a greater need for trade. 

 
87) 

A farmer selling tomatoes and corn at a roadside, and a currency trader in Hong Kong, are each participating in 

87) 

______ 
A) 

a market. 
B) 

an involuntary transaction. 
C) 

flexible manufacturing. 
D) 

international trade. 
E) 

barter. 

 
88) 

Which of the following has most contributed to the globalization of the economy? 

88) 

______ 
A) 

tariffs and trade barriers 
B) 

the decline in the relative importance of manufacturing 
C) 

reductions in transportation and communication costs 
D) 

the shift toward a market economy in China 
E) 

the decreased importance of agriculture 

 
89) 

The use of money for transactions 

89) 

______ 
A) 

enables humanity to satisfy all wants. 
B) 

increases the use of barter. 
C) 

fosters self-sufficiency. 
D) 

makes specialization of labour more difficult. 
E) 

makes exchange easier and thus promotes the specialization of labour. 

 
90) 

The barter system of exchange is inefficient because 

90) 

______ 
A) 

bargaining power is unequal between rich and poor. 
B) 

exchange partners need to know each other. 
C) 

"fair" values cannot be defined without the use of money. 
D) 

markets do not exist. 
E) 

the double coincidence of wants may not exist. 

 
91) 

Which of the point(s) below is (are) true of money?
i)  Money eliminated the need for barter.
ii) Money allowed for specialization of labour and expansion of trade.
iii) Money allowed for the development of a market economy.
iv) Money allowed one to save current production for future use. 

91) 

______ 
A) 

Only i). 
B) 

Only i) and ii). 
C) 

Only i) and iv). 
D) 

Only i), ii), and iv). 
E) 

All of the points are true. 

 
92) 

Money facilitates trade and specialization by 

92) 

______ 
A) 

providing employment for coin makers. 
B) 

increasing investment. 
C) 

increasing the value of gold. 
D) 

eliminating the need for barter. 
E) 

reducing the shift of resources between uses. 

 
93) 

An economic system that relies primarily upon custom and habit in economic decision making is a 

93) 

______ 
A) 

traditional system. 
B) 

command system. 
C) 

market system. 
D) 

communist system. 
E) 

mixed system. 

 
94) 

In practice, the term "centrally planned economy" refers to an economy in which 

94) 

______ 
A) 

the military is in control of the government. 
B) 

the government makes all production and consumption decisions. 
C) 

economic decisions are made in the geographic centre of the country. 
D) 

the mix of market and command principles is heavily weighted towards the latter. 
E) 

all commodities are rationed. 

 
95) 

The Canadian economy is best described as  

95) 

______ 
A) 

primarily free-market decision making. 
B) 

traditional. 
C) 

primarily a public ownership economy. 
D) 

a command economy. 
E) 

a mixed economic system. 

 
96) 

With regard to various economic systems, most economists agree that 

96) 

______ 
A) 

command economies have been very successful in distributing income in socially just ways. 
B) 

the optimal mix of market and command systems remains constant over time. 
C) 

the mix of market and command principles that exists in Canada is the best. 
D) 

government intervention in the economy is only justified in time of war. 
E) 

most production and consumption decisions are more efficiently coordinated by markets than through central planning. 

 
97) 

Which countries have mostly public ownership of resources? 

97) 

______ 
A) 

Brazil and Argentina 
B) 

Cuba and North Korea 
C) 

United States and Canada 
D) 

France and Germany 
E) 

Sweden and Norway 

 
98) 

Behaviour in free-market economies is  

98) 

______ 
A) 

mostly affected by elements of tradition and government command. 
B) 

based primarily on custom and habit. 
C) 

determined by a central authority. 
D) 

mostly directed by self interest. 
E) 

random and unpredictable. 

 
99) 

In command economies, economic behaviour is  

99) 

______ 
A) 

largely affected by elements of tradition and market incentives. 
B) 

based primarily on custom and habit. 
C) 

largely determined by a central authority. 
D) 

random and unpredictable. 
E) 

directed by individual self interest. 

 
100) 

In mixed economies, economic behaviour is  

100) 

_____ 
A) 

largely determined by a central authority. 
B) 

based primarily on custom and habit. 
C) 

affected by elements of tradition, government command, and market incentives. 
D) 

random and unpredictable. 
E) 

directed only by self interest. 

 
101) 

In traditional economies, economic behaviour is  

101) 

_____ 
A) 

directed only by self interest. 
B) 

random and unpredictable. 
C) 

largely determined by a central authority. 
D) 

based primarily on custom and habit. 
E) 

affected by elements of tradition, government command, and market incentives. 

 
102) 

The Canadian economic system can best be described as 

102) 

_____ 
A) 

traditional. 
B) 

pure free market. 
C) 

mixed capitalism. 
D) 

mixed socialism. 
E) 

command. 

 
103) 

Complex economic plans for many economic sectors are most associated with a 

103) 

_____ 
A) 

mixed market system.. 
B) 

feudal system. 
C) 

command economy. 
D) 

traditional economy. 
E) 

free-market system. 

 
104) 

Most modern economies in the world today  

104) 

_____ 
A) 

are mostly run by government decree. 
B) 

are similar to feudal systems. 
C) 

are complex systems that defy description and analysis. 
D) 

have pure market exchange. 
E) 

have a mix of traditional, command and market elements. 

 
105) 

In the current Canadian economy, the majority of choices on how resources are allocated are made by 

105) 

_____ 
A) 

business firms only. 
B) 

consumers and firms through the price system. 
C) 

negotiation between unions and firms. 
D) 

legal contracts. 
E) 

the various levels of government. 

 
106) 

Comparison of economic systems indicates that 

106) 

_____ 
A) 

most nations have either a purely socialist economy or a purely capitalist economy. 
B) 

socialist economies are clearly superior in producing consumer goods. 
C) 

all countries have largely traditional economies. 
D) 

capitalist economies are clearly superior in distributing income. 
E) 

most countries have mixed economies. 

 
107) 

Many economies in central and Eastern Europe, including the countries of the former Soviet Union, are still in the process of moving from a command economy to a market economy. In the first years of this transition, most of these countries experienced sharp drops in output and reductions in living standards. Economists generally see this as 

107) 

_____ 
A) 

an indication of the extreme difficulty of transition from one type of economic system to another. 
B) 

the failure of the market system. 
C) 

the difficulty of corruption in non-market economies. 
D) 

the triumph of capitalism over communism. 
E) 

an indication that these economies should return to being command economies. 

 
108) 

In a pure market economy, the role of government is limited to provision of 
i) a basic legal and institutional structure.
ii) intervention in the allocation of resources in some areas of the economy.
iii) redistribution of income.
iv) stabilization of economic conditions generally.
Which of the above points is true? 

108) 

_____ 
A) 

Only i). 
B) 

Only i) and ii). 
C) 

Only i) and iv). 
D) 

Only i), ii), and iv). 
E) 

All of the points are provided by government in a pure market economy. 

 
109) 

Income redistribution in a mixed economy 

109) 

_____ 
A) 

is supported by all individuals. 
B) 

risks reducing individual incentives to work and produce. 
C) 

is not allowed. 
D) 

rarely occurs. 
E) 

is only accomplished through government intervention. 

 
110) 

In a modern mixed economy the government ensures that key institutions are in place to facilitate voluntary transactions between economic agents.  These key institutions are 

110) 

_____ 
A) 

labour and capital markets. 
B) 

the House of Commons and the Senate. 
C) 

the Department of Finance and the Bank of Canada. 
D) 

private property and freedom of contract. 
E) 

securities regulators and the court system. 

 
1) 

D 

2) 

B 

3) 

A 

4) 

E 

5) 

A 

6) 

A 

7) 

A 

8) 

D 

9) 

E 

10) 

E 

11) 

A 

12) 

A 

13) 

D 

14) 

C 

15) 

E 

16) 

A 

17) 

B 

18) 

B 

19) 

D 

20) 

E 

21) 

B 

22) 

C 

23) 

E 

24) 

C 

25) 

C 

26) 

A 

27) 

A 

28) 

A 

29) 

B 

30) 

E 

31) 

D 

32) 

A 

33) 

E 

34) 

A 

35) 

D 

36) 

D 

37) 

D 

38) 

E 

39) 

D 

40) 

D 

41) 

B 

42) 

C 

43) 

A 

44) 

C 

45) 

D 

46) 

D 

47) 

C 

48) 

B 

49) 

B 

50) 

A 

51) 

A 

52) 

C 

53) 

B 

54) 

D 

55) 

E 

56) 

B 

57) 

A 

58) 

D 

59) 

C 

60) 

D 

61) 

E 

62) 

C 

63) 

D 

64) 

C 

65) 

A 

66) 

C 

67) 

A 

68) 

C 

69) 

A 

70) 

A 

71) 

A 

72) 

A 

73) 

B 

74) 

E 

75) 

D 

76) 

B 

77) 

B 

78) 

A 

79) 

E 

80) 

D 

81) 

A 

82) 

A 

83) 

D 

84) 

E 

85) 

C 

86) 

E 

87) 

A 

88) 

C 

89) 

E 

90) 

E 

91) 

E 

92) 

D 

93) 

A 

94) 

D 

95) 

E 

96) 

E 

97) 

B 

98) 

D 

99) 

C 

100) 

C 

101) 

D 

102) 

C 

103) 

C 

104) 

E 

105) 

B 

106) 

E 

107) 

A 

108) 

A 

109) 

B 

110) 

D