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Thinking Like an Economist

Total questions: 28

Worksheet time: 1hrs 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the most basic economic issue for all societies?

a)

scarcity

b)

taxation

c)

inflation

d)

recession

2.

A company decides to install more machines and lay off workers. Which economic question is addressed directly?

a)

How to produce

b)

What to produce

c)

For whom to produce

d)

Where to produce

3.

In economic terms, what are land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship?

a)

production possibilities

b)

factors of production

c)

production trade-offs

d)

opportunity costs

4.

Jenny has enough money to buy either a CD or go to a movie with her friends. In economics, what is the choice that Jenny "gives up" called?

a)

Positive Cost

b)

Negative Cost

c)

Opportunity Cost

d)

Marginal Cost

5.

What is the main idea behind the study of economics?

a)

Monetary policy

b)

Efficiency of production

c)

Allocation of scarce resources

d)

Business decisions

6.

In economics terms, what does "there is no free lunch" mean?

a)

someone must pay for everything

b)

all production is designed to reduce scarcity

c)

choices are never based on self-interest

d)

people only think of others when making choices

7.

How does the process of specialization change an economy?

a)

eliminates unemployment

b)

decreases competition

c)

improves efficiency of production

d)

increases government control

8.

Unlimited Wants + Limited Resources = ????

a)

scarcity

b)

competition

c)

savings

d)

equilibrium

9.

Unlimited Wants + Limited Resources =????


To deal with the problem in the above "equation," societies establish _________?

a)

governments

b)

economic systems

c)

hierarchies

d)

private business

10.

In every economic system, what must people choose to do?

a)

Satisfy ALL the wants of their society

b)

Make the BEST use of scarce resources

c)

Create an equal distribution of income

d)

Save money to reduce the national debt

11.

Which of the following is an opportunity cost of building a new public high school?

a)

Cost of hiring teachers for all subjects at the new school

b)

Change in the annual tax rate to pay for the new school

c)

Cost of constructing the new school at a later date

d)

Others goods and services given up in order to build the school

12.

Which of the following is a result of the specialization of labor?

a)

Increased inflation

b)

Identical income

c)

Increased output

d)

Less interdependence

13.

In which economic system are the factors of production privately owned?

a)

Capitalism

b)

Socialism

c)

Command

d)

Confucianism

14.

In a market economy, what is the government's role?

a)

Decides what goods are manufactured

b)

Owns and operates major industries

c)

Encourage competition among businesses

d)

Sets prices on goods and services

15.

There is a country in which the government owns all the industries, businesses, and farms. The government sets production and wages. The government provides all education, childcare, and medical care for all the people. What type of economy does this describe?

a)

market

b)

traditional

c)

command

d)

transitional

16.

When comparing a traditional economy with a command economy, which of the following is true of both?

a)

slow economic growth

b)

freely fluctuating prices

c)

private ownership of business

d)

support of business competition

17.

What is the economic system in which customs and religion of previous generations determine how the economy will use its scarce resources?

a)

market

b)

transitional

c)

command

d)

traditional

18.

Which of the following is a characteristic of traditional economies?

a)

Fast growing communities

b)

high standard of living

c)

light industrial production

d)

slow economic growth

19.

A government sets quotas and prints and distributes posters to inspire workers to increase their productivity. In which type of economy would this most likely take place?

a)

command

b)

traditional

c)

market

d)

transitional

20.

What is the benefit of competition in a free market system?

a)

Make sure everyone gets an equal share of resources

b)

Create a variety of new and cheaper products

c)

Cause producers to try and put each other out of business

d)

Follow the traditional methods of production

21.

In general, what type of economy does the United States have?

a)

transitional

b)

market

c)

command

d)

traditional

22.

What is the PRIMARY incentive that motivates a manufacturer to sell a product?

a)

Making profits on sales

b)

Putting others out of business

c)

Pleasing the government

d)

Reputation of the product

23.

Which type of economy produces the highest standard of living for its citizens?

a)

transitional

b)

market

c)

traditional

d)

command

24.

Why would an inefficient factory close down under capitalism?

a)

Low or negative profits

b)

Government mandates

c)

A central planner's decision

d)

Adverse effects on income distribution

25.

Which of the following countries exhibit the characteristics of a market economy?

a)

United States

b)

Cuba

c)

North Korea

d)

China

26.

Which characteristic best describes a traditional economy?

a)

Labor unions and wages

b)

Customs and religions

c)

Communism and inflation

d)

Markets and systems

27.

Which of the following is a main feature of a command economy?

a)

Private ownership

b)

Central planning

c)

Heavy reliance on markets

d)

Profit driven decision making

28.

How are the basic questions of economics answered in a traditional economy?

a)

People rely heavily on how things have always been done

b)

Large corporations compete for business

c)

The government generally owns all means of production

d)

Technological advancements encourage growth