Chapter 2 Test Bank

The market system's answer to the fundamental question "What will be produced?" is essentially: A. "Goods and services that are profitable." B. "Low cost goods and services." C. "Goods and service that can be produced using large amounts of capital." D. "Goods and services that possess lasting value."

"Goods and services that are profitable."

The market system's answer to the fundamental question "How will the goods and services be produced?" is essentially: A. "With as much machinery as possible." B. "Using the latest technology." C. "By exploiting labor." D. "In ways that minimize the cost per unit of output."

"In ways that minimize the cost per unit of output."

Examples of command economies are: A. The United States and Japan. B. Sweden and Norway. C. Mexico and Brazil. D. Cuba and North Korea.

Cuba and North Korea.

39. Refer to the above information. Which technique is economically most efficient in producing A? A. I B. II C. III D. IV

IV

If consumer desire for product X increases, all of the following will occur except: A. an increase in the profits of industry X. B. an increase in the quantity of resources employed by industry X. C. an increase in the output of industry X. D. a decrease in the quantity of resources employed in industry X.

a decrease in the quantity of resources employed in industry X.

40. Refer to the above information. If the price of product A is $0.50, the firm will realize: A. an economic profit of $4. B. an economic profit of $2. C. an economic profit of $6. D. a loss of $3.

an economic profit of $2.

Firms are motivated to minimize production costs because: A. it is the most environmentally friendly way to produce goods. B. least-cost production techniques use the smallest total quantity of resources. C. competitive pressures in the market will drive out higher-cost producers. D. the government provides tax credits and subsidies to low-cost producers.

competitive pressures in the market will drive out higher-cost producers.

If competitive industry Y is incurring substantial losses, output will: A. expand as resources move toward industry Y. B. contract as resources move toward industry Y. C. contract as resources move away from industry Y. D. expand as resources move away from industry Y.

contract as resources move away from industry Y.

In a market economy a significant change in consumers' desire for product X will: A. alter the profits or losses received by suppliers of product X. B. cause a reallocation of scarce resources. C. cause some industries to expand and others to contract. D. do all of these.

do all of these.

If a competitive industry is neither expanding nor contracting, we would expect: A. total revenue to be zero. B. economic profits to be zero. C. total opportunity cost to be zero. D. more resources to flow to that industry.

economic profits to be zero.

Barter: A. is the major means of exchange in centrally planned economies. B. accounts for over 30 percent of the dollar volume of all exchange in the U.S. economy. C. entails the exchange of goods for goods. D. is used to circumvent the problem of a lack of coincidence of wants among potential buyers and sellers.

entails the exchange of goods for goods.

The "coincidence of wants" problem associated with barter refers to the fact that: A. for exchange to occur each seller must have a product that some buyer wants. B. money must be used as a medium of exchange or trade will never occur. C. specialization is restricted by the size or scope of a market. D. buyers in resource markets and sellers in product markets can never engage in exchange.

for exchange to occur each seller must have a product that some buyer wants.

An increase in consumer desire for strawberries is most likely to: A. increase the number of strawberry pickers needed by farmers. B. reduce the supply of strawberries. C. reduce the number of people willing to pick strawberries. D. reduce the need for strawberry pickers.

increase the number of strawberry pickers needed by farmers.

The use of money contributes to economic efficiency because: A. governmental direction of the production and distribution of output can be avoided by using money. B. roundabout production could not occur without the availability of money. C. it is necessary for the creation of capital goods. D. it promotes specialization by overcoming the problems with barter.

it promotes specialization by overcoming the problems with barter.

Which of the following is a fundamental characteristic of the market system? A. property rights. B. central planning by government. C. unselfish behavior. D. government-set wages and prices.

property rights.

In a market economy the distribution of output will be determined primarily by: A. consumer needs and preferences. B. the quantities and prices of the resources that households supply. C. government regulations that provide a minimum income for all. D. a social consensus as to which distribution of income is most equitable.

the quantities and prices of the resources that households supply.

The market system's answer to the fundamental question "Who will get the goods and services?" is essentially: A. "Those willing and able to pay for them." B. "Those who physically produced them." C. "Those who most need them." D. "Those who get utility from them."

"Those willing and able to pay for them."

Which of the following is a distinguishing feature of a command system? A. private ownership of all capital. B. central planning. C. heavy reliance on markets. D. wide-spread dispersion of economic power.

central planning.

Command systems are also known as: A. market systems. B. pure capitalism. C. laissez-faire capitalism. D. communism.

communism.

If competitive industry Z is making substantial economic profit, output will: A. fall in industry Z, and firms will likely leave the market. B. fall in all industries except industry Z. C. expand in industry Z, as more resources will move to that industry. D. expand in industry Z, but no new firms will enter the market.

expand in industry Z, as more resources will move to that industry.

Which of the following is a distinguishing feature of laissez-faire capitalism? A. public ownership of all capital. B. central planning. C. minimal government intervention. D. a circular flow of goods, resources, and money.

minimal government intervention.

Which of the following is one of the Five Fundamental Questions? A. Which products will be in scarce supply and which in excess supply? B. Who should appoint the head of the central bank? C. How much should society save? D. What goods and services will be produced?

What goods and services will be produced?

Economic systems differ according to which two main characteristics? A. Who owns the factors of production, and the methods used to coordinate economic activity. B. The technology used in production, and the quantity and quality of natural resources. C. How goods are produced, and who gets them. D. The political system in place, and the degree of scarcity facing the economy.

Who owns the factors of production, and the methods used to coordinate economic activity.

Specialization-the division of labor-enhances productivity and efficiency by: A. allowing workers to take advantage of existing differences in their abilities and skills. B. avoiding the time loss involved in shifting from one production task to another. C. allowing workers to develop skills by working on one, or a limited number, of tasks. D. all of the means identified in the other answers.

all of the means identified in the other answers.

Economic profits and losses: A. are both considered by economists to be a part of production costs. B. are essential to the reallocation of resources from less desired to more desired goods. C. have no influence on the composition of domestic output. D. equalize the distribution of income in the long run.

are essential to the reallocation of resources from less desired to more desired goods.

38. Refer to the above data. If a new production technique is developed that enables a firm to produce 20 units of output with 3 units of land, 3 of labor, 1 of capital, and 2 of entrepreneurial ability, this technique would: A. not be adopted because, although it reduces production costs, it does not increase profit. B. be adopted because it would lower production costs and increase economic profit. C. not be adopted because it entails higher production costs than other available techniques. D. be adopted, even though economic profits would be reduced slightly.

be adopted because it would lower production costs and increase economic profit.

The competitive market system: A. encourages innovation because government provides tax breaks and subsidies to those who develop new products or new productive techniques. B. discourages innovation because it is difficult to acquire additional capital in the form of new machinery and equipment. C. discourages innovation because firms want to get all the profits possible from existing machinery and equipment. D. encourages innovation because successful innovators are rewarded with economic profits.

encourages innovation because successful innovators are rewarded with economic profits.

The term "laissez-faire" suggests that: A. land and other natural resources should be privately owned, but capital should be publicly owned. B. land and other natural resources should be publicly owned, but capital should be privately owned. C. government should not interfere with the operation of the economy. D. government action is necessary if the economy is to achieve full employment and full production.

government should not interfere with the operation of the economy.

Broadly defined, competition involves: A. private property and freedom of expression. B. independently acting buyers and sellers and freedom to enter or leave markets. C. increasing opportunity costs and diminishing marginal utility. D. capital goods and division of labor.

independently acting buyers and sellers and freedom to enter or leave markets.

An economic system: A. requires a grouping of private markets linked to one another. B. is a particular set of institutional arrangements and a coordinating mechanism used to respond to the economizing problem. C. requires some sort of centralized authority (such as government) to coordinate economic activity. D. is a plan or scheme that allows a firm to make money at some other firm's expense.

is a particular set of institutional arrangements and a coordinating mechanism used to respond to the economizing problem.

The most efficient combination of resources in producing a given output is the combination that: A. comes closest to using the same quantities of land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurial ability. B. minimize the cost per unit of output. C. uses the smallest total quantity of all resources. D. conserves most on the use of labor.

minimize the cost per unit of output.

Specialization in production is economically beneficial primarily because it: A. allows everyone to have a job which they like. B. permits the production of a larger output with fixed amounts of resources. C. facilitates trade by bartering. D. guarantees full employment.

permits the production of a larger output with fixed amounts of resources.

37. Refer to the above data. Assuming that the firm is motivated by self-interest and that the 20 units which can be produced with each technique can be sold for $2 per unit, the firm will: A. realize an economic profit of $10. B. realize an economic profit of $4. C. not earn any economic profit. D. shutdown rather than incur a loss by producing.

realize an economic profit of $10.

From society's point of view the economic function of profits and losses is to: A. promote the equal distribution of real assets and wealth. B. achieve full employment and price level stability. C. contribute to a more equal distribution of income. D. reallocate resources from less desired to more desired uses.

reallocate resources from less desired to more desired uses.

Specialization in production is important primarily because it: A. results in greater total output. B. allows society to avoid the coincidence-of-wants problem. C. allows society to trade by barter. D. allows society to have fewer capital goods.

results in greater total output.

Economic profits in an industry suggest the industry: A. can earn more profits by increasing product price. B. should be larger to better satisfy consumers' desire for the product. C. has excess production capacity. D. is the size that consumers want it to be.

should be larger to better satisfy consumers' desire for the product.

The economic function of profits and losses is to: A. bring about a more equal distribution of income. B. signal that resources should be reallocated. C. eliminate small firms and reduce competition. D. tell government which industries need to be subsidized.

signal that resources should be reallocated.

A fundamental difference between the command system and the laissez-faire capitalism is that, in command systems: A. the division of output is decided by central planning rather than by individuals operating freely through markets. B. all economic decisions are made by the government, whereas there is no government in a market system. C. scarcity does not exist, whereas it does in a market system. D. money is not used, whereas it is in a market system.

the division of output is decided by central planning rather than by individuals operating freely through markets.

Competition means that: A. sellers can manipulate market price by causing product scarcities. B. there are independently-acting buyers and sellers in each market. C. a product can be purchased at a number of different prices. D. there is more than one seller in a market

there are independently-acting buyers and sellers in each market.

The presence of market failures implies that: A. money is not an effective tool for exchange in a market system. B. there is an active role for government, even in a market system. C. individuals and firms should strive to be self-sufficient rather than specialize. D. command systems are superior to market systems in the allocation of resources.

there is an active role for government, even in a market system.

The market system's answer to the fundamental question "How will the system accommodate change?" is essentially: A. "Through government leadership and direction." B. "Through the guiding function of prices and the incentive function of profits." C. "Through training and retraining programs." D. "Through trial and error."

"Through the guiding function of prices and the incentive function of profits."

36. Refer to the above data. In view of the indicated resource prices, the economically most efficient production technique(s) is (are) technique(s): A. #1. B. #2 and #4. C. #3. D. #1 and #3.

#2 and #4.

In a competitive market economy firms select the least-cost production technique because: A. such choices will result in full employment of available resources. B. to do so will maximize the firms' profits. C. this will prevent new firms from entering the industry. D. "dollar voting" by consumers mandates such a choice.

to do so will maximize the firms' profits.

The division of labor means that: A. labor markets are geographically segmented. B. unskilled workers outnumber skilled workers. C. workers specialize in various production tasks. D. each worker performs a large number of tasks.

workers specialize in various production tasks.

The regulatory mechanism of the market system is: A. self-interest. B. private property. C. competition. D. specialization.

competition.