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Negative Externalities and Common Pool Resources

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 21mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Society achieves allocative efficiency when

a)

marginal social benefits > marginal social costs

b)

marginal social benefits < marginal social costs 

c)

marginal social benefits = marginal social costs

d)

marginal private benefits = marginal private costs 

2.

An externality is present when

a)

there is an efficient allocation of resources

b)

the economy reaches an equilibrium where MSB = MSC 

c)

activities of producers and consumers prevent the economy from reaching an equilibrium 

d)

activities of producers and consumers affect the well-being of third parties whose interests are not taken into account 

3.

A negative externality arising from the production of good Z leads to

a)

an overallocation of resources to the production and consumption of good Z 

b)

an underallocation of resources to the production and consumption of good Z

c)

higher costs of production for good Z 

d)

lower demand for good Z 

4.

Negative production externalities due to the use of fossil fuels arise because

a)

the private costs of production are greater than the social costs 

b)

environmental regulations are strongly enforced 

c)

firms are not aware of environmental regulations 

d)

firms ignore the costs they impose on bystanders 

5.

Market-based policies to reduce the external costs arising from the use of fossil fuels do not include

a)

tradable permits

b)

carbon taxes

c)

direct taxes

d)

collective self-governance

6.

The use of cars usually leads to _____________________ because _____________________.

a)

negative production externalities / MSC < MPC

b)

negative consumption externalities / MSC > MPC 

c)

positive consumption externalities / MSB > MPB 

d)

negative consumption externalities / MPB > MSB 

7.

Demerit goods are often _____________________ due to _____________________.

a)

non-excludable / their high prices 

b)

underprovided by the market / positive consumption externalities

c)

overprovided by the market / negative consumption externalities 

d)

underprovided by the market / negative production externalities 

8.

Negative consumption externalities are unlikely to be dealt with through the use of 

a)

indirect taxes

b)

legislation

c)

advertising

d)

tradable permits

9.

Common pool resources are resources that

a)

having no ownership, are not sold in markets

b)

are subject to overuse therefore leading to unsustainable development 

c)

are non-excludable therefore freely available for anyone to use

d)

all of the above

10.

Sustainability refers to the idea that

a)

economic activity is not subject to ups and downs 

b)

future generations will have fewer resources with which to satisfy their needs

c)

future generations will not have fewer resources with which to satisfy their needs

d)

resources are used at a rate that leads to their depletion 

11.

Which of the following does not pose a threat to sustainability?

a)

use of fossil fuels

b)

poverty and efforts to survive on very low incomes

c)

positive environmental externalities

d)

negative environmental externalities

12.

The ‘tragedy of the commons’ describes

a)

overuse of common pool resources

b)

overuse of public goods

c)

overuse of private goods

d)

overuse of free goods

13.

A consumption externality occurs when

a)

marginal private benefits diverge from marginal social costs 

b)

marginal private benefits diverge from marginal social benefits 

c)

marginal private costs diverge from marginal social costs

d)

marginal private benefits diverge from marginal private costs 

14.

A production externality occurs when

a)

marginal private benefits diverge from marginal social costs 

b)

marginal private benefits diverge from marginal social benefits 

c)

marginal private costs diverge from marginal social costs 

d)

marginal private costs diverge from marginal private costs 

15.

Pigouvian taxes can be used to correct

a)

positive consumption externalities

b)

negative production externalities

c)

positive production externalities

d)

Any kind of externality

16.

Market-based policies used to correct externalities 

a)

rely on the command approach

b)

are based on the idea of collective self-governance

c)

use advertising to create awareness

d)

are based on the idea of changing incentives

17.

Tradable permits have 

a)

perfectly inelastic supply

b)

perfectly inelastic demand

c)

perfectly elastic supply

d)

perfectly elastic demand

18.

Which of the following is not an example of government legislation or regulation? 

 

a)

a requirement for firms to use cleaner technologies

b)

issuing licenses to fish and hunt

c)

restrictions on the amount of firms' emissions

d)

increased direct taxes on firms that pollute

19.

Elinor Ostrom’s work regarding collective self-governance challenged the assumption that

a)

taxes are effective at reducing the harm of negative externalities

b)

people are driven primarily by self-interest

c)

government regulations can help correct the tragedy of the commons

d)

cooperative solutions are sustainable

20.

Assume marginal social costs are higher than marginal private costs by $3 per unit produced, the optimal quantity is 8,000 units but the market produces 11,000 units. The welfare loss is (you can skip this if you're SL)

a)

$4,500

b)

$9,000

c)

$33,000

d)

$24,000