International Trade

Practice Questions: Macro Test #5

 

1.   Suppose two countries are each capable of producing two given commodities. Instead, each specializes by producing the commodity for which it has a comparative advantage and then trades with the other country. Which of the following is most likely to result?

      a.  The two countries will become more independent from each other.

      b. Unemployment will increase in one country and decrease in the other.

      c.  There will be more efficient production in one country but less efficient production in the other.

      d. Both countries will become better off.

      e.  Both countries will be producing inefficiently.

 

2.   The following data shows the quantities of soda and cheese that can be produced in the United States and France given the same amount of resources.

 

                                Soda               Cheese

                              (bottles)           (pounds)

         US                    20                    60

         France               10                    40

 

      Which of the following statements is/are true?

 

                   I.   France has an absolute advantage in soda production.

                  II.   The US has a comparative advantage in soda production.

                III.   The US has an absolute advantage in cheese production.

 

      a.  I only                                                       e.  II and III only

      b. II only                                                     f.   I and III only

      c.  III only                                                    g.  I, II and III only

      d. I and II only                                             h.  none of the above

 

3.   What would happen to interest rates, exports, and imports if the United States government pursued a contractionary fiscal policy?

 

                     Interest Rate               Exports                  Imports              

      a.               Increase                 Decrease                Decrease

      b.              Decrease                 Increase                 Decrease

      c.              Decrease                Decrease                 Increase

      d.            No Change              Decrease                 Increase

      e.               Increase                 Decrease                 Increase


4.   The value of the US dollar will rise relative to the French franc if …

      a.  The US demand for French wine increases.

      b. The federal reserve buys government securities.

      c.  Prices rise faster in the United States than in France.

      d. The French demand for American cars and computers increases.

      e.  Many Americans decide to visit France.

 

5.   To protect high-cost domestic producers, a country imposes a quota on an imported commodity, Y. Which of the following is most likely to occur in the short run?

                   I.   A decrease in domestic production of Y.

                  II.   An increase in domestic production of Y.

                III.   A decrease in the price of Y.

 

      a.  I only                                                       e.  II and III only

      b. II only                                                     f.   I and III only

      c.  III only                                                    g.  I, II and III only

            d. I and II only                                             h.  none of the above

 

6.   One Monday, Willie, a currency trader for Lloyd's of London took £100,000 and converted them to dollars. On Friday, Willie changed the dollars back to pounds. He was so excited by this activity that he went running into his boss’s office and told him the news. After Willie's boss looked over the exchange rates, it is most probable that he

          

                                 US dollars ($)               British Pounds (£)

               Monday            1.50                                   1

               Friday               2.00                                   1

 

      a.  gave Willie a bonus because he earned £75,000 for the company.

      b.  patted him on the back for earning £25,000 for the company.

      c.  demoted him because he lost £25,000 of the company's money.

      d.  fired him for losing £75,000 of the company's money.

      e.  made him head of the department for earning a total of £175,000 for the company.

 

7.   If other things are held constant, an increase in United States imports will

      a.  tend to cause the dollar to appreciate because the world supply of dollars will rise.

      b. tend to cause the dollar to appreciate because the world demand for dollars will rise.

      c.  tend to have no effect on the exchange rate for the dollar because exports will also increase

      d. tend to cause the dollar to depreciate because the world supply of dollars will increase.

      e.  tend to cause the dollar to depreciate because the world demand for dollars will rise.

 

      8.   A tariff will hurt the consumers of a product most if…

      a.  The product has several complementary goods.

      b.  The demand for the product is inelastic.

      c.  The demand for the product is elastic.

      d.  The demand for the product is unit elastic.

 

      9.   If exchange rates are allowed to fluctuate freely and the US demand for Japanese yen increases, which of the following will happen?

      a.  The US balance of trade deficit will increase in the long run.

      b.  Americans will have to pay more for Japanese goods.

      c.  The dollar would appreciate.

      d.  The Japanese would have to pay more for American goods.

      e.  It will be more expensive for the Japanese to buy American real estate.

 

      10. Which of the following would be most likely to happen if nation X devalued its currency?

      a.  Foreign goods would become cheaper to X's citizens.

      b.  X's exports would increase.

      c.  A tourist from X traveling abroad would benefit because he would get more units of the foreign currency for travelers checks than before devaluation.

      d.  Foreigners would find X's goods more expensive than before the devaluation. 

 

      11. In a flexible exchange rate system, which of the following would most likely raise the value of the United States dollar against the French franc in the short run?

      a.  An increase in the United States demand for French wine.

b.    A tightening of the United States monetary policy.

c.    French expectations of higher inflation in the United States.

d.  French expectations that the dollar will soon be fixed at less than its current value.

     

      12. Which of the following best states the thesis of the law of comparative advantage?

      a.  Differences in relative costs of production are key to determining patterns of trade.

      b.  Differences in absolute costs of production determine which goods should be traded between nations.

      c.  Tariffs and quotas are beneficial in increasing international competitiveness.

      d.  Nations should not specialize in the production of goods and services.

      e.  Two nations will not trade if one is more efficient than the other in the production of all goods.

                

      13. The following table shows the production possibilities for the only two activities in a stone-age economy: digging for roots and breaking flint.

                                                Roots                      Flint__

                                                 6                                0

                                                 5                                1

                                                 3                                2

                                                       0                                3

                                                       _____________________

      If people were producing only six roots, the cost of producing the first unit of flint would be…

      a.  0 flints, because that is the number of flints that can be produced in addition to 6 roots.

      b.  1 flint, because that is the number of flints that can be produced in the first stage of production.

      c.  1 root, because that is the number of roots that must be given up to produce the first flint.

      d.  2 roots, because of the law of increasing costs.

      e.  5 roots, because that is the number of roots that can be produced in addition to 1 flint. 

     

      14. Which of the following is most consistent with free market philosophy?

      a.  fixed exchange rates

      b.  floating exchange rates

      c.  mercantilism

d.    non-tariff barrier

 

15. The production possibilities table given below shows how many bushels of wheat and or rice

can be produced in India and Canada with one unit of input. To achieve gains from specialization …

                              __________________________________

                                               Wheat (bushels)    Rice (bushels)

                              India                      10                       10

                              Canada                  40                       20

                              __________________________________

 

      a.  India should export rice to Canada and import Canadian wheat.

      b.  India should export wheat to Canada and import Canadian wheat.

      c.  Canada should produce both wheat and rice and not trade with India.

      d.  India should produce both wheat and rice and not trade with Canada.

 

      16. What would happen to interest rates, exports, and imports if the United States government

            pursued an expansionary fiscal policy?

 

                     Interest Rate               Exports                  Imports              

      a.               Increase                 Decrease                Decrease

      b.              Decrease                 Increase                 Decrease

      c.              Decrease                Decrease                 Increase

      d.            No Change              Decrease                 Increase

      e.               Increase                 Decrease                 Increase

 

      17. Suppose a nation is suffering from demand-pull inflation. Describe how monetary policy could

            be used to correct this situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18. Given the previously described monetary policy actions, what will happen to the international

      value of the US dollar? Explain. What will happen to the US balance of trade?

 

 

 

 

      19. Suppose a nation is suffering from demand-pull inflation. Describe how fiscal policy could be

            used to correct this situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20. Given the previously described fiscal policy actions, what will happen to the international

      value of the US dollar? Explain. What will happen to the U.S. balance of trade?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      21. What are the pros and cons of a strong dollar?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      22. What are the pros and cons of a weak dollar?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      23. What are three disadvantages of trade barriers for the nation that imposes them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      24. What are the benefits of free trade?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25. Assume that in the small island nation of Multaluna, cars are sold in two separate and competitive markets (one for domestically produced cars and one for imported cars).

 

A)  T-Bone, the president of Multaluna, decides to provide a significant subsidy for domestic car producers.

 

            i)  Show (on a graph that represents the market for domestically produced cars) and explain the impact of this subsidy on the market for domestically produced cars.

           ii)  Show (on a graph that represents the market for imported cars) and explain the impact of this subsidy on the market for imported cars.

          iii)  Describe two disadvantages of providing a subsidy for domestic car producers.

 

B)     Now assume that Dr. Drew, T-Bone’s chief economic advisor, implements Policy which combines tax cuts and increases in government spending. Explain

      how this policy package will affect each of the following.

 

            i)  The government’s budget

           ii)  Interest rates in Multaluna

          iii)  The value of Multaluna’s currency

 

C)  Given he previously described change in currency value, explain what will happen to each of the following…

 

            i)  The domestic car market.

           ii)  The market for imported cars.

          iii)  Multaluna’s GDP.

 

D)  Who in Multaluna will benefit from the previously described change in currency value?