Chapter 31



Chapter 31

Achievements of the Past,

Challenges for the Future

General Questions

1. What most accurately describes the trend in the Gross Domestic Product of the United States between 1870 and 1990?

a. Real GDP increased by about 600 percent.

b. Although nominal GDP increased significantly, real GDP went up only slightly because of inflation.

c. Both nominal and real GDP have been flat because the periods of inflation were offset by the periods of deflation.

d. The fluctuations in GDP have become greater over time, and were largest in the late 1900s.

2. Which statement is best describes the period from 1960-1999?

a. The average annual growth rate of GDP has been about 15 percent.

b. The growth rates of GDP and personal consumption expenditures have been about the same.

c. Personal consumption expenditures have grown about five times faster than GDP has grown.

d. GDP was about 2 percent per decade.

3. Which statement is most accurate about the real GDP per capita of different nations between 1980 and 2000?

a. The real GDP per capita of the United States ranks in the middle of the other major industrialized nations.

b. The United States had the highest real per capita GDP at the beginning of the period, but by the end of the period many other industrialized had caught up to the United States.

c. The United States had the highest real per capita GDP throughout the period and on average, the other major industrialized nations did not significantly close the gap.

d. At the beginning of the period, the United States had a real GDP per capita equal to the average of the major industrialized nations, but by 2000 the United States had moved into first place.

4. During the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, per capita incomes on the West Coast of the United States were ___ than the national average, and per capita incomes in the South were ___ than the national average.

a. lower; higher

b. higher; lower

c. lower; lower

d. higher; higher

5. Between 1880 and 1980, which region had the highest per capita income?

a. Pacific

b. Midwest

c. New England

d. South Atlantic

6. After the Civil War, per capita income in the South was relatively low compared with other regions of the United States. Which of the following statements best describes how long it took the South to (almost but not quite) catch up with the rest of the country.

a. about one year

b. about five to ten years

c. about 25 years

d. several generations

7. If you based your estimate on how long it took poor regions of the United States to catch up to the per capita incomes of the rest of the nation, how long do you believe it would take Eastern Europe to obtain per capita incomes comparable to those of Western Europe?

a. about one year

b. about five to ten years

c. about 25 years

d. several generations.

8. Which of the following statements best describes the changes in life expectancy in the United States between 1940-1996?

a. The life expectancy of females increased substantially but there was little change for males.

b. The life expectancy of African-American males is higher than that of African-American females, but the life expectancy of white males is lower than that of white females.

c. The life expectancies of people of all races has remained about the same as advances in health have been offset by declines due to environmental factors.

d. The life expectancy of people with Down’s Syndrome grew by about 25 times, and the life expectancy of African-Americans grew faster than the life expectancy of whites.

9. Which statement is best describes changes in U.S. infant mortality rates from 1940-1997?

a. By 1997, the total infant mortality rate was about 15 percent of what it had been in 1940.

b. The infant mortality rate is higher for whites than for blacks.

c. The infant mortality rate was about twice as high in 1940 as it was in 1997.

d. The infant morality rate during the first 28 days of life dropped significantly but the infant mortality rate from 28 days to 1 year remained about the same.

10. Which statement most accurately describes the distribution of income among U.S. families?

a. In 2000, as in most of American history, poor people work on average many more hours than do high-income people.

b. The median real family income has remained about the same since 1970.

c. One of the most significant determinants of income inequality in the United States has been the increase in demand for highly trained labor.

d. Earnings of married-couple families have grown more slowly than earnings of both male and female households with no spouse.

11. Which statement is most accurate about social indicators in the United States between 1950 and 2000?

a. The divorce rate remained relatively constant.

b. The suicide rate remained relatively constant.

c. The murder rate remained relatively constant.

d. The birth rate for unmarried women remained relatively constant.

Economic Insights

1. What variable has been shown to be highly correlated with nutrition, disease, and income and is increasingly being used by economists to measure the well-being of people?

a. height

b. weight

c. IQ

d. gender

2. Which of the following most accurately describes the changes in the heights of adult, white males?

a. Since 1700, heights have increased steadily.

b. There were small cyclical changes in height until about 1900, and since then heights have increased very rapidly.

c. During the history of the United States, heights have been relatively constant.

d. Height increased substantially until shortly after the Civil War, and has been relatively stable since then.

Economic Analysis

1. Economists often examine GNP to estimate changes in the well-being of people. If one only studied GNP, which of the following would lead to one to overestimate the true increases in people's well-being?

a. decreasing average hours of work

b. increasing life expectancy

c. decreasing levels of pollution

d. decreasing amounts of production in the home

e. increases in product quality

2. Economists often examine GNP to estimate changes in the well-being of people. If one only studied GNP, which of the following would lead to one to underestimate the true increases in people's well-being?

a. increasing average hours of work

b. decreasing life expectancy

c. increasing levels of pollution

d. increasing amounts of production in the home

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