Cambridge IGCSE Economics 0455 — 2019 Oct/Nov Paper 1 · Variant 3
0455/13/O/N/19 · 30 questions · 30 marks · ≈34 min
The question paper and its mark scheme, free to read here and free to download. This is Cambridge’s own paper, exactly as it was sat.
Question paper12 pages
Mark scheme3 pages
Answers below. Sit the paper first if you are practising.
Questions as text
Q1 · What identifies a finite resource?
1 What identifies a finite resource? A The resource does not renew itself. B The supply of the resource is greater than demand. C There is no opportunity cost for the resource. D There is unlimited supply of the resource.
Mark scheme: A
Q2 · Country X provides computers to help teachers in the classroom
2 Country X provides computers to help teachers in the classroom. How would this technology increase the economic potential of country X? A It improves the quality of human resources. B It reduces the amount of land required for education. C It removes the need for teachers. D It requires more teachers to do the same work.
Mark scheme: A
Q3 · Sam wrote a list of how he would prefer to spend his Saturday afternoon
3 Sam wrote a list of how he would prefer to spend his Saturday afternoon. first choice go to a cricket match second choice watch the annual town parade third choice go to the cinema fourth choice visit relatives Unfortunately a thunderstorm caused the cricket match and the town parade to be cancelled. Sam went to the cinema. What was the opportunity cost of going to the cinema? A going to a cricket match B watching the annual town parade C visiting relatives D losing his Saturday free time
Mark scheme: C
Q4 · Which pair of economic institutions can be found in a market economy?
4 Which pair of economic institutions can be found in a market economy? A local government and charities B monopolies and commercial banks C nationalised industries and partnerships D stock exchange and public corporations
Mark scheme: B
Q5 · In a private market system certain goods and services would not be available unless the…
5 In a private market system certain goods and services would not be available unless the government intervened. What does this identify in a private market? A market distribution B market equilibrium C market failure D market structure
Mark scheme: C
Q6 · There has been a movement upwards along the supply curve of a product
6 There has been a movement upwards along the supply curve of a product. What is the most likely explanation for this? A Consumer incomes have fallen. B New technology has made the product cheaper to produce. C The government has imposed a tax on the product. D The price of a substitute has increased.
Mark scheme: D
Q7 · Price elasticity of demand (PED) measures the responsiveness of demand to a change in…
7 Price elasticity of demand (PED) measures the responsiveness of demand to a change in price. It can differ for different goods. For which good is the PED most elastic according to the table? percentage change percentage good in quantity demanded change in price A butter 6.0 5.0 B cars 5.5 5.0 C furniture 5.0 5.0 D petrol 3.0 5.0
Mark scheme: A
Q8 · What is most likely to increase the occupational mobility of labour?
8 What is most likely to increase the occupational mobility of labour? A building more houses B increased spending on re-training schemes C increased total government spending D increasing the information on job availability
Mark scheme: B
Q9 · Which organisations can directly fund the growth of firms?
9 Which organisations can directly fund the growth of firms? central commercial government bank banks A no yes no B no yes yes C yes no no D yes no yes
Mark scheme: B
Q10 · The table shows how three people (X, Y and Z) spend their income
10 The table shows how three people (X, Y and Z) spend their income. person X person Y person Z food, clothing and housing 35% 50% 20% entertainment and leisure 25% 20% 40% luxury goods 40% 30% 40% For these three people, what is the most likely order of income, from highest income to lowest income? A X → Y→ Z B Y → Z → X C Z → X → Y D Z → Y → X
Mark scheme: C
Q11 · A musician has a choice of playing for an orchestra in either Germany or England
11 A musician has a choice of playing for an orchestra in either Germany or England. Which combination of incomes and cost of living is most likely to cause her to choose the German orchestra? Incomes and cost of living in Germany compared with those in England pre-tax (gross) income after-tax (net) income cost of living A higher higher higher B higher lower lower C lower higher higher D lower higher lower
Mark scheme: D
Q12 · A public limited company has shares which are A freely transferable on the stock exchange
12 A public limited company has shares which are A freely transferable on the stock exchange. B owned by the government. C owned only by its workers. D restricted in their transferability.
Mark scheme: A
Q13 · In 2015, a large UK company attempted to acquire a rival US medical company to become the…
13 In 2015, a large UK company attempted to acquire a rival US medical company to become the world’s leading supplier. Both companies specialised in the manufacture of medicines for treating rare diseases. Which term would describe the acquisition if it had been successful? A backwards vertical integration B conglomerate integration C forwards vertical integration D horizontal integration
Mark scheme: D
Q14 · The table shows the sales of cold drinks made by a company in the UK in 2016 and 2017
14 The table shows the sales of cold drinks made by a company in the UK in 2016 and 2017. Demand for cold drinks is influenced by changes in the temperature. In 2016 the sales followed the usual seasonal pattern. sales 2016 sales 2017 month (thousand cans) (thousand cans) April 300 290 May 400 350 June 550 270 July 570 490 August 620 590 In which month of 2017 was the usual pattern disturbed? A May B June C July D August
Mark scheme: B
Q15 · A firm producing bicycles has the following costs at different levels of output
15 A firm producing bicycles has the following costs at different levels of output. total fixed costs total variable costs output ($) ($) 10 300 800 20 300 1500 30 300 3300 What happens to the average total cost over this range of output? A It falls continuously. B It falls then rises. C It rises continuously. D It rises then falls.
Mark scheme: B
Q16 · A government decides to increase tax revenues from consumer expenditure
16 A government decides to increase tax revenues from consumer expenditure. Which tax will it increase? A capital gains tax B death duties C profits tax D value added tax
Mark scheme: D
Q17 · A government uses a mixture of fiscal policy measures and supply-side policy measures to…
17 A government uses a mixture of fiscal policy measures and supply-side policy measures to stimulate growth in the economy. Which combination of policy measures will achieve this? fiscal policy measures supply-side policy measures A increase government expenditure increase skills training B increase government investment increase indirect taxes C increase direct taxation decrease unemployment benefit D increase interest rates decrease money supply
Mark scheme: A
Q18 · The table shows tax paid at different income levels in an economy
18 The table shows tax paid at different income levels in an economy. income level tax paid ($) ($) 5 000 500 12 000 2400 20 000 5000 30 000 6000 Which description of the tax system used is correct? A continually progressive B progressive then regressive C proportional D regressive then progressive
Mark scheme: B
Q19 · The government uses monetary policy and reduces the interest rate
19 The government uses monetary policy and reduces the interest rate. What might be a consequence of this? A a decrease in the rate of inflation B an increase in the level of investment C an increase in the level of savings D an increase in unemployment
Mark scheme: B
Q20 · What is the most likely result of a sustained increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?
20 What is the most likely result of a sustained increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)? A a decrease in living standards B a decrease in the budget surplus C an increase in tax revenues D an increase in unemployment
Mark scheme: C
Q21 · Which indicator would be included in the Human Development Index (HDI) for a country?
21 Which indicator would be included in the Human Development Index (HDI) for a country? A adult literacy rate B doctors per 1000 people C unemployment rate D years spent in education
Mark scheme: D
Q22 · Which type of unemployment is the result of a permanent fall in the demand for the…
22 Which type of unemployment is the result of a permanent fall in the demand for the products of an industry? A cyclical B frictional C seasonal D structural
Mark scheme: D
Q23 · The graph shows the rate of inflation in a country between 2000 and 2014
23 The graph shows the rate of inflation in a country between 2000 and 2014. 8 inflation rate 7 % 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 2000 2010 2014 year What can be concluded about average prices? A They fell throughout the period. B They peaked in 2000. C They rose each year. D They were lower in 2014 than they were in 2010.
Mark scheme: C
Q24 · Which change, as a percentage of GDP, would be unlikely to be found in a country as it…
24 Which change, as a percentage of GDP, would be unlikely to be found in a country as it develops? A an increase in average incomes and a decrease in unemployment B an increase in manufacturing production and an increase in shipping services C an increase in subsistence farming and a decrease in financial services D an increase in tourism and a decrease in the export of agricultural products
Mark scheme: C
More questions on Differences in economic development between countries
Q25 · In Botswana, better healthcare has meant that birth rates have been falling faster than…
25 In Botswana, better healthcare has meant that birth rates have been falling faster than death rates. Also the number of children born, on average, to each woman has declined from 6.4 to 3.2. What may be concluded from this information? A Government spending on education will need to increase. B Medical improvements have resulted in falling infant mortality rates. C There will be a decline in income for each person working. D There will, in the long run, be an increase in the working population.
Mark scheme: B
Q26 · The table shows the percentage share of GDP held by the richest 20% and poorest 20% of…
26 The table shows the percentage share of GDP held by the richest 20% and poorest 20% of the population in each country. Which country had the greatest extremes of income and poverty? country richest 20% poorest 20% A Ghana 41.7% 8.4% B Nigeria 55.7% 4.4% C Senegal 48.2% 6.4% D South Africa 64.8% 2.9%
Mark scheme: D
Q27 · What would cause a favourable change in the Kenyan trade in services (invisible) account?
27 What would cause a favourable change in the Kenyan trade in services (invisible) account? A A Kenyan company wins a contract to transport exports from Uganda. B A Kenyan tea company increases its exports. C A Kenyan trade delegation promoting coffee sales visits India. D A Zambian company increases its exports to Kenya.
Mark scheme: A
Q28 · A newspaper headline stated ‘Free trade helps the world’s poorest’
28 A newspaper headline stated ‘Free trade helps the world’s poorest’. Why might this be correct? A Employment will be focused in hi-tech industries. B Environmental disasters will be avoided. C Free trade reduces competitiveness for domestic firms. D The cost of living is likely to go down with free trade.
Mark scheme: D
Q29 · A trade union succeeds in raising the wages in an industry above the current equilibrium…
29 A trade union succeeds in raising the wages in an industry above the current equilibrium wage. How would the demand and supply of labour change? change in quantity change in quantity of labour demanded of labour supplied A fall fall B fall rise C rise fall D rise rise
Mark scheme: B
Q30 · What would reduce the volume of international trade in the world economy?
30 What would reduce the volume of international trade in the world economy? A a German bank making a loan to a Nigerian company B a Japanese car manufacturer establishing a factory in the Czech Republic C the Canadian government introducing quotas on Malaysian electronics products D the Swedish government granting aid to Somalia
Mark scheme: C
What was in this paper
The subtopics covered by these 30 questions, and how many questions each got. Open one in a new tab to see every Cambridge question on it.
3Globalisation, free trade and protection2Living standards2Current account of balance of payments1Demand1Differences in economic development between countries1Economic growth1Employment and unemployment1Firms1Firms’ costs, revenue and objectives1Households1Inflation and deflation1Market economic system1Market failure1Market structure1Monetary policy1Money and banking1Opportunity cost1Population1Poverty1Price changes1Price elasticity of demand (PED)1The factors of production1The nature of the economic problem1Trade unions1Workers1What you needed in this session
Cambridge’s own grade thresholds for 2019 Oct/Nov, Paper 1 · Variant 3. A higher threshold means an easier paper — the bar moves with how the cohort did.