NECO Economics Past Questions And Answers (Objective and Theory)
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions
Question: In international trade, what is a trade surplus?
a) Excess imports over exports
b) Excess exports over imports
c) Balanced imports and exports
d) No trade occurring
Answer: b) Excess exports over imports
Question: What is the role of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)?
a) Regulate stock markets
b) Insure bank deposits
c) Control interest rates
d) Manage government spending
Answer: b) Insure bank deposits
Question: Which of the following is a characteristic of a perfectly elastic demand curve?
a) Relatively flat slope
b) Steep slope
c) Horizontal line
d) Vertical line
Answer: c) Horizontal line
Question: What does the term “elasticity of supply” measure?
a) Responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price
b) Responsiveness of quantity supplied to a change in price
c) Total revenue from a good
d) Consumer preferences for a product
Answer: b) Responsiveness of quantity supplied to a change in price
Question: Which economic concept is illustrated by the trade-off between guns and butter?
a) Opportunity cost
b) Diminishing marginal utility
c) Elasticity of demand
d) Consumer surplus
Answer: a) Opportunity cost
Question: What is the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)?
a) Regulate international trade
b) Enforce environmental regulations
c) Regulate financial markets and protect investors
d) Control fiscal policy
Answer: c) Regulate financial markets and protect investors
Question: Which of the following is a characteristic of a command economy?
a) Decentralized decision-making
b) Government ownership of resources
c) Market-driven prices
d) Limited government intervention
Answer: b) Government ownership of resources
Question: What is the primary function of the World Bank?
a) Regulate global monetary policy
b) Provide financial assistance for infrastructure projects in developing countries
c) Facilitate international trade negotiations
d) Enforce antitrust laws
Answer: b) Provide financial assistance for infrastructure projects in developing countries
Question: What is the difference between explicit and implicit costs in economics?
a) Explicit costs are monetary, while implicit costs are non-monetary
b) Explicit costs are associated with variable inputs, while implicit costs are associated with fixed inputs
c) Explicit costs are historical costs, while implicit costs are future costs
d) Explicit costs are short-term costs, while implicit costs are long-term costs
Answer: a) Explicit costs are monetary, while implicit costs are non-monetary
Question: What is the purpose of a production possibilities curve (PPC)?
a) To illustrate the impact of inflation on an economy
b) To demonstrate the relationship between supply and demand
c) To show the maximum output combinations of two goods with limited resources
d) To depict the distribution of income in a society
Answer: c) To show the maximum output combinations of two goods with limited resources
Question: Which market structure is characterized by a single seller with significant control over the market?
a) Perfect competition
b) Oligopoly
c) Monopoly
d) Monopolistic competition
Answer: c) Monopoly
Question: What is the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)?
a) Regulate international trade
b) Provide financial assistance to countries facing balance of payments problems
c) Enforce labor laws globally
d) Manage government spending
Answer: b) Provide financial assistance to countries facing balance of payments problems
Question: What is the difference between a progressive and regressive tax system?
a) Progressive taxes take a higher percentage of income from high-income earners
b) Regressive taxes take a higher percentage of income from low-income earners
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b
Answer: c) Both a and b
Question: In the context of international trade, what is protectionism?
a) Encouraging free trade
b) Imposing barriers to restrict imports
c) Promoting specialization
d) Establishing a gold standard
Answer: b) Imposing barriers to restrict imports
Question: What is the law of diminishing marginal utility?
a) The more you consume of a good, the greater your total utility
b) As the price of a good decreases, the quantity demanded increases
c) The additional satisfaction from consuming one more unit of a good decreases as more units are consumed
d) Total utility remains constant as consumption increases
Answer: c) The additional satisfaction from consuming one more unit of a good decreases as more units are consumed
Section B: Theory Questions (Continued)
Question: Explain the concept of externalities and provide an example.
Answer: Externalities are unintended side effects of economic activities that affect third parties. For example, air pollution from a factory impacting the health of nearby residents is a negative externality.
Question: Describe the concept of comparative advantage in international trade.
Answer: Comparative advantage is the ability of a country to produce a good or service at a lower opportunity cost than another country. It forms the basis for mutually beneficial international trade.
Question: Discuss the functions of money in an economy.
Answer: Money serves as a medium of exchange, unit of account, store of value, and standard of deferred payment, facilitating efficient transactions and economic activities.
Question: Explain the concept of fiscal policy and its tools.
Answer: Fiscal policy involves government decisions regarding taxation and spending to influence the economy. Tools include changes in tax rates and government spending to achieve economic objectives.
Question: Discuss the impact of globalization on economies.
Answer: Globalization refers to increased interconnectedness and interdependence among countries. It can lead to economic growth, but also challenges like income inequality and cultural homogenization.