Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1
The U.S. fiscal year runs from __________.
A. July 1 to June 30
B. August 1 to July 31
C. September 1 to August 31
D. October 1 to September 30
Question 2
Three components of aggregate expenditure that are affected by a change in the federal funds rate are consumption expenditure, investment, and __________.
A. net imports
B. net exports
C. total imports
D. total exports
Question 3
The Fed pays close attention to the __________, which is the annual percentage change in the Personal Consumption Expenditure deflator (PCE deflator. excluding the prices of food and fuel.
A. input gap
B. output gap
C. core employment rate
D. core inflation rate
Question 4
On the outlays side of the budget, how are Social Security benefits, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, unemployment benefits, and other cash benefits to individuals and businesses labeled?
A. expenditure on goods and services
B. transfer payments
C. debt interest
D. indirect taxes
Question 5
Income taxes create a difference between the wage rate paid by companies and received by workers. These taxes __________ both employment and potential GDP.
A. do not affect
B. lower
C. encourage, but may not change
D. increase
Question 6
If the Fed believes that real GDP is less than potential GDP, the Fed will undertake a(n. __________ monetary policy.
A. closed
B. open
C. expansionary
D. regressionary
Question 7
If tax revenues equal outlays on the federal budget, what does the government have?
A. a budget surplus
B. a budget deficit
C. a balanced budget
D. the national debt
Question 8
If real GDP is below potential GDP, the government might decrease its expenditure on goods and service, decrease transfer payments, raise taxes, or do some combination of all three. This is called a(n. __________.
A. automatic fiscal policy
B. discretionary fiscal policy
C. contractionary fiscal policy
D. fiscal stimulus
Question 9
In the long run, an increase in the supply of bank loans is matched by a __________ in the price level and the quantity of real loans is __________.
A. rise; unchanged
B. rise; increased
C. fall; unchanged
D. fall; decrease
Question 10
It generally takes __________ for monetary policy action to affect real GDP and about __________ for the policy to affect the inflation rate.
A. 2 years; 4 years
B. 1 year; 5 years
C. 2 years; 3 years
D. 1 year; 2 years
Question 11
What type of stabilizing fiscal policies arise because tax revenues and outlays fluctuate with the real GDP?
A. automatic fiscal policies
B. discretionary fiscal policies
C. contractionary fiscal policies
D. long run fiscal policies
Question 12
What is the annual statement of the revenues, outlays, and surplus or deficit of the government, together with the laws and regulations that authorize these revenues and outlays?
A. the federal budget
B. the fiscal policy
C. the fiscal year budget
D. the national debt
Question 13
The use of the federal budget to achieve macroeconomic objectives is called __________.
A. balanced budgeting
B. fiscal policy
C. fiscal responsibility
D. national debt consolidation
Question 14
According to the government expenditure multiplier, when government expenditure increases, aggregate demand increases. Other things remaining the same, what happens to the real GDP?
A. real GDP remains stable
B. real GDP increases
C. real GDP decreases
D. real GDP induces a decrease in consumption expenditure
Question 15
What type of stabilizing fiscal policy is an increase in the health care budget for citizens without coverage?
A. automatic fiscal policy
B. discretionary fiscal policy
C. contractionary fiscal policy
D. long run fiscal policy
Question 16
What type of stabilizing fiscal policy is a decrease in overall tax revenues during a recession?
A. automatic fiscal policy
B. discretionary fiscal policy
C. contractionary fiscal policy
D. long run fiscal policy
Question 17
A government budget deficit __________ the real interest rate and "crowds out" some private investment, which slows real GDP growth.
A. distorts
B. decreases
C. increases
D. does not affect
Question 18
What is the largest source of revenue for the federal government?
A. personal income taxes
B. social security taxes
C. corporate income taxes
D. indirect taxes
Question 19
What is the gap created by a tax between what a buyer pays and what a seller receives or between the before-tax and after-tax wage rates?
A. net taxes
B. tax wedge
C. induced tax
D. expenditure tax
Question 20
Being a side effect of fiscal policy on the supply side, the provision of public goods and services __________ productivity and potential GDP.
A. does not affect
B. decreases
C. increases
D. can hinder or stimulate