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Chapter 1—Introducing the Economic Way of Thinking

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. When economists say scarcity, they mean: a. | there are only a limited number of consumers who would be interested in purchasing goods. | b. | the human desire for goods exceeds the available supply of time, goods and resources. | c. | most people in poorer countries do not have enough goods. | d. | goods are so expensive that only the rich can afford it. |

ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Full: 3 | Mic: 3 TOP: Scarcity TYP: RE

2. When economists say goods are scarce, they mean: a. | consumers are too poor to afford the goods and services available. | b. | consumers are unwilling to buy goods unless they have very low prices. | c. | goods are generally freely available from nature in most countries. | d. | the desire for goods and services exceeds our ability to produce them with the limited resources available. |

ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Medium REF: Full: 3 | Mic: 3 TOP: Scarcity TYP: SA

3. Scarcity is a problem: a. | measured by the amount of goods available. | b. | of the poor, but not the rich. | c. | because human wants are unlimited while resources are limited. | d. | only in industrialized economies. |

ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Full: 3 | Mic: 3 TOP: Scarcity TYP: RE

4. Scarcity can be eliminated if: a. | people satisfy needs rather than wants. | b. | sufficient new resources were discovered. | c. | output of goods and services were increased. | d. | none of these. |

ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy REF: Full: 3 | Mic: 3 TOP: Scarcity TYP: RE

5. Scarcity is a(n): a. | problem only in industrialized economies. | b. | condition measured by the quantity of goods available. | c. | subjective concept that human

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