Deck 6: The Standard Trade Model

Question 1

Terms of trade refers to

A) the relative price at which trade occurs.
B) what goods are imported.
C) what goods are exported.
D) the volume of trade.
E) the tariffs applied to trade.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Refer to above figure. Albania refused to engage in international trade for ideological reasons. To maximize its economic welfare it would choose to produce at which point in the diagram above? Suppose the P_A/P_B at point a was equal to 1. Given this information, in which good (A or
B) does Albania enjoy a comparative advantage?
Now that the Cold War is over, Albania is interested in obtaining economic welfare gains from trade. The relevant international relative price is P_A/P_B = 2. Albania would therefore choose to produce at which point (a, b, or c)? Given this additional information, in which good does Albania enjoy a comparative advantage?

Answer 2

Albania would choose to produce at point a. With no reference to world terms of trade, one cannot establish Albania's comparative advantage.
Later, when Albania discovers that the relative price of A equals twice the price of B, it knows that it has a comparative advantage in A. Therefore Albania would produce at production point b.

Question 3

A country cannot produce a mix of products with a higher value than where

A) the isovalue line is tangent to the production possibility frontier.
B) the isovalue line intersects the production possibility frontier.
C) the isovalue line is above the production possibility frontier.
D) the isovalue line is below the production possibility frontier.
E) the isovalue line is tangent with the indifference curve.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

If a small country were to levy a tariff on its imports then this would

A) decrease the country's economic welfare.
B) have no effect on that country's economic welfare.
C) increase the country's economic welfare.
D) change the terms of trade.
E) raise prices on its exports in other countries.

Question 5

A country will be able to consume a combination of goods that is not attainable solely from domestic production if

A) the world terms of trade differ from its domestic relative costs.
B) the country specializes in one product.
C) the country avoids international trade.
D) the world terms of trade equal the domestic relative costs.
E) the country's domestic production value equals world relative value.

Question 6

If the ratio of price of cloth (P_C) divided by the price of food (P_F) increases in the international marketplace, then

A) the terms of trade of cloth exporters will improve.
B) all countries would be better off.
C) the terms of trade of food exporters will improve.
D) the terms of trade of all countries will improve.
E) the terms of trade of cloth exporters will worsen.

Question 7

Suppose that a "small country" experiences growth strongly biased toward its export, cloth,

A) this will have no effect on terms of trade for the country's trading partner.
B) this will tend to worsen the country's terms of trade.
C) this will tend to improve the country's terms of trade.
D) this will tend to worsen terms of trade for the country's trading partner.
E) this will tend to improve terms of trade for the country's trading partner.

Question 8

An increase in a country's net commodity terms of trade will

A) not always guarantee positive changes in the country's economy.
B) always increase the country's economic welfare.
C) always increase the country's real income.
D) never increase the country's quantity of exports.
E) always increase the country's production of its import competing good.

Question 9

Suppose that a country experiences growth strongly biased toward its export, cloth,

A) this will tend to worsen the country's terms of trade.
B) this will tend to improve the country's terms of trade.
C) this will tend to leave the country's terms of trade unchanged.
D) this will tend to worsen the terms of trade for the country's trading partner.
E) this will increase the price of cloth relative to the imported good.

Question 10

If the ratio of price of cloth (P_C) divided by the price of food (P_F) increases in the international marketplace, then

A) world relative quantity of cloth supplied will increase.
B) world relative quantity of cloth supplied and demanded will increase.
C) world relative quantity of cloth supplied and demanded will decrease.
D) world relative quantity of cloth demanded will decrease.
E) world relative quantity of food will increase.

Question 11

If a country began exporting product A and importing product B, then, as compared to the autarky (no-trade) situation, the marginal cost of product A will

A) increase.
B) decrease.
C) shift outward.
D) shift inward.
E) remain the same.

Question 12

Tastes of individuals are represented by

A) indifference curves.
B) production possibility frontiers.
C) isovalue lines.
D) production functions.
E) the terms of trade.

Question 13

If the economy is producing at point a on its production possibility frontier, then

A) all of the country's workers are employed.
B) all of the country's workers are specialized in one product.
C) all of the country's capital is used for one product.
D) all of its capital is used, but not efficiently.
E) all of the country's exports are produced in equal amounts.

Question 14

If two countries with diminishing returns and different marginal rates of substitution between two products were to engage in trade, then

A) the marginal rates of substitution of both would become equal.
B) the shapes of their respective production possibility frontiers would change.
C) the larger of the two countries would dominate their trade.
D) the country with relatively elastic supplies would export more.
E) the opportunity costs for the smaller country would increase.

Question 15

The meaning of "terms of trade" is

A) the price of a country's exports divided by the price of its imports.
B) the amount of exports sold by a country.
C) the price conditions bargained for in international markets.
D) the quantities of imports received in free trade.
E) the tariffs in place between two trading countries.

Question 16

When the production possibility frontier shifts out relatively more in one direction, we have

A) biased growth.
B) unbiased growth.
C) immiserizing growth.
D) balanced growth.
E) imbalanced growth.

Question 17

If the ratio of price of cloth (P_C) divided by the price of food (P_F) increases in the international marketplace, then

A) the cloth exporter will increase the quantity of cloth produced.
B) the cloth exporter will increase the quantity of cloth exported.
C) the food exporter will increase the quantity of food exported.
D) the cloth exporter will decrease the quantity of cloth exported.
E) the country would import more cloth.

Question 18

Refer to the figure above, which shows a country's possible production possibility frontiers and indifference curves. If the country is producing at ________, then moving to ________ will cause utility to ________.

A) point b; point c; remain unchanged
B) point a; point b; increase
C) point c; point b; increase
D) point c; point b; decrease
E) point a; point c; remain unchanged

Question 19

Other things being equal, a rise in a country's terms of trade increases its welfare. What would happen if we relax the ceteris paribus assumption, and allow for the law of demand to operate internationally?

Question 20

If points A and B are two locations on a country's production possibility frontier, then

A) the country could produce either of the two bundles.
B) consumers are indifferent between the two bundles.
C) producers are indifferent between the two bundles.
D) at any point in time, the country could produce both.
E) both bundles must have the same relative cost.

Question 21

If Slovenia is a small country in world trade terms, then if it imposes a large series of tariffs on many of its imports, this would

A) have no effect on its terms of trade.
B) improve its terms of trade.
C) deteriorate its terms of trade.
D) decrease its marginal propensity to consume.
E) increase its exports.

Question 22

An export subsidy will cause the relative demand for ________ to ________ and the relative supply for ________ to ________.

A) exports; decrease; exports; increase
B) imports; decrease; imports; increase
C) imports; increase; imports; decrease
D) exports; increase; exports; decrease
E) exports; increase; imports; decrease

Question 23

Rapidly growing developing countries tend to be borrowers on the international capital markets. From this information we may surmise that they have a comparative advantage in

A) future income.
B) capital goods.
C) disposable income.
D) consumer goods.
E) present income.

Question 24

If Slovenia were a large country in world trade, then if it imposes a large set of tariffs on its imports, this must

A) decrease the internal price of imports below the world market rate.
B) cause retaliation on the part of its trade partners.
C) harm Slovenia's real income.
D) improve Slovenia's real income.
E) improve the real income of its trade partners.

Question 25

Suppose, as a result of various dynamic factors associated with exposure to international competition, Albania's economy grew, and is now represented by the rightmost production possibility frontier in the figure above. If its point of production with trade was point b, would you consider this growth to be export-biased or import biased? If Albania were a large country with respect to the world trade of A and B, how would this growth affect Albania's terms of trade? Its real income? What if Albania were a small country?

Question 26

International borrowing and lending may be interpreted as one form of

A) intertemporal trade.
B) intermediate trade.
C) trade in services.
D) unrequited international transfers.
E) aid to offset trade advantages.

Question 27

If Slovenia were a large country in world trade, then if it instituted a large set of subsidies for its exports, this must

A) harm its terms of trade.
B) have no effect on its terms of trade.
C) improve its terms of trade.
D) decrease its marginal propensity to consume.
E) harm world terms of trade.

Question 28

If Slovenia were a large country in world trade, then if it instituted a large set of subsidies for its exports, this must

A) improve the real income of its trade partners.
B) cause retaliation on the part of its trade partners.
C) harm Slovenia's real income.
D) improve Slovenia's real income.
E) increase internal prices above the world market rate.

Question 29

Suppose, as a result of various dynamic factors associated with exposure to international competition, Albania's economy grew, and is now represented by the rightmost production possibility frontier in the figure above. If its point of production with trade was point c, would you consider this growth to be export-biased or import biased? If Albania were a large country with respect to the world trade of A and B, how would this growth affect Albania's terms of trade? Its real income?

Question 30

Refer to above figure. Now, suppose that the relative price of A is actually not higher than Albania's autarkic level of 1, but quite the opposite (e.g., P_A/P_B = 0.5). Would Albania still be able to gain from trade? If so, where would be its production point? Given the information in this question, where is Albania's comparative advantage?

Question 31

An import tariff will cause the relative demand for ________ to ________ and the relative supply for ________ to ________.

A) imports; decrease; imports; increase
B) imports; increase; imports; decrease
C) exports; increase; exports; decrease
D) exports; decrease; exports; increase
E) exports; increase; imports; decrease

Question 32

Suppose Albania is exporting product B, and experienced economic growth biased in favor of product B as seen in the figure above. We are also told that Albania's new consumption point is at point d. Would you still consider the economic growth, which took place biased in favor of B? If Albania were a large country how would this growth affect its terms of trade?

Question 33

Refer to the figure above, which shows a country's possible production possibility frontiers and indifference curves. If the country is producing at ________, then moving to ________ will cause utility to ________.

A) point b; point a; increase
B) point a; point b; increase
C) point c; point b; increase
D) point c; point b; decrease
E) point a; point c; remain unchanged

Question 34

An import tariff will cause the terms of trade of the ________ country to ________ and will ________ the country.

A) importing; improve; benefit
B) exporting; improve; benefit
C) importing; suffer; harm
D) exporting; improve; harm
E) importing; improve; harm

Question 35

Refer to the figure above, which shows a country's possible production possibility frontiers and indifference curves. If the country is producing at ________, then moving to ________ will cause utility to ________.

A) point c; point b; remain unchanged
B) point a; point b; increase
C) point c; point b; increase
D) point c; point b; decrease
E) point a; point c; remain unchanged

Question 36

If one observes that Japan was traditionally a net foreign lender, one could conclude that relative to its international trade and financial partners

A) Japan's intertemporal production possibilities are biased toward present consumption.
B) Japan's intertemporal production possibilities are biased toward future consumption.
C) Japan's intertemporal production possibilities are larger than that of the other countries.
D) Japan's intertemporal production possibilities are not biased.
E) Japan preferred to consume beyond its production in the present.

Question 37

It may be argued that theoretically, international capital movements

A) tend to hurt labor in donor countries.
B) tend to hurt the donor countries.
C) tend to hurt the recipient countries.
D) tend to hurt labor in recipient countries.
E) increase future production in donor countries.

Question 38

If Slovenia is a large country in world trade, then if it imposes a large set of tariffs on many of its imports, this would

A) improve its terms of trade.
B) have no effect on its terms of trade.
C) harm its terms of trade.
D) decrease its marginal propensity to consume.
E) increase its exports.

Question 39

If the U.S. (a large country) imposes a tariff on its imported good, this will tend to

A) improve the terms of trade of the United States.
B) have no effect on terms of trade.
C) improve the terms of trade of all countries.
D) cause a deterioration of U.S. terms of trade.
E) raise the world price of the good imported by the United States.

Question 40

An export subsidy has the opposite effect on terms of trade to the effect of an import tariff. Domestically a tariff will raise the price of the import good, deteriorating the domestic terms of trade. A production subsidy for the export product will lower the local price of the export good, lowering the domestic terms of trade for the country. Hence the export subsidy and the import tariff have the same effect. This analysis seems to contradict the first sentence in this paragraph. Discuss this paradox.

Question 41

The intertemporal budget constraint is defined as:

Question 42

An export subsidy will cause the terms of trade of the ________ country to ________ and will ________ the country.

A) exporting; suffer; harm
B) exporting; improve; benefit
C) importing; suffer; harm
D) importing; suffer; benefit
E) importing; improve; harm

Question 43

The price of ________ consumption in terms of ________ consumption is ________.

A) future; current; 1/(1 + r)
B) present; future; 1/(1 + r)
C) future; current; r
D) present; future; r
E) future; current; 1 + r