Poverty (CIE IGCSE Economics)

Topic Questions

11 mark

A low-income country experiences extreme poverty in its rural areas. 

What is a possible cause of this?

  • development of better irrigation techniques

  • distribution of international food aid

  • high trade barriers imposed by high-income countries

  • higher prices for agricultural produce

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21 mark

Developing countries are sometimes given aid by charities and foreign governments.

Which aid programme would be least likely to lead to long-term economic growth?

  • the building of an irrigation system

  • the construction of a new airport

  • the distribution of gifts of food

  • the training of technical staff

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31 mark

Which change is most likely to be expected when an economy is developing?

  • birth rates increase rapidly

  • poverty rates fall

  • unemployment levels rise

  • the primary sector overtakes the secondary sector

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41 mark

What describes absolute and relative poverty?

  absolute poverty relative poverty
A when there are low birth rates, high death
rates, and high levels of migration
when there are high birth rates, low death
rates, and low levels of migration
B when a person does not have enough
money for food, shelter, and clothes
when a person earns less than
others in the same society
C when everyone has an
income below US$1.90 a day
when half the population has an
income of US$1.90 a day
D when necessities cannot be afforded when luxuries cannot be afforded

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5
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1 mark

Which of the following best describes the poverty cycle?

  • A short-term rise in poverty caused by natural disasters

  • The increase in poverty due to overpopulation

  • The self-reinforcing pattern where poverty is passed down through generations

  • A decrease in poverty during periods of economic growth.

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11 mark

Which policy is most likely to reduce relative poverty?

  • make income tax rates less progressive

  • reduce benefit payments

  • reduce the minimum wage

  • reduce the rate of sales tax

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2
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1 mark

Economic growth , shown by an outward shift on the production possibility frontier (PPF) diagram helps to alleviate poverty.

Which factor  below leads to an outward shift in the PPF?

  • Reduction in capital investments

  • Increase in trade barriers

  • Improving education and training

  • Decrease in labour force participation

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3
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1 mark

Which statement about the relationship between the national minimum wage and poverty is accurate?

  • Increasing the national minimum wage always leads to higher poverty rates

  • Decreasing the national minimum wage consistently reduces poverty rates

  • The impact of the national minimum wage on poverty depends on other economic factors

  • Poverty rates remain unaffected regardless of changes in the national minimum wage

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4
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1 mark

Promoting economic growth helps to alleviate poverty leading to a positive impact upon economic development.

What best describes economic growth and economic development?

  Economic Growth Economic Development
A An increase in national output as measured by real GDP A sustained decrease in living standards for a country, for example education levels
B A decrease in national output as measured by real GDP No change in livings standards over time
C A rise in the value of foreign investments Reducing the poverty cycle
D An increase in national output as measured by real GDP The sustainable increase in living standards for a country, for example education levels

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5
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1 mark

Which factor below can contribute to poverty in developing countries?

  • High levels of foreign direct investment

  • Rapid population growth

  • Access to advanced technology

  • Stable political institutions

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11 mark

In countries with absolute poverty, low incomes can start a process that keeps incomes low.

What are the stages of this process?

  • low incomes rightwards arrowlow consumption rightwards arrow low prices rightwards arrow low output rightwards arrow low incomes

  • low incomes rightwards arrowlow government spending rightwards arrowhigh taxation rightwards arrowlow employment rightwards arrowlow incomes

  • low incomes rightwards arrow low investment rightwards arrow high profits rightwards arrowlow dividends rightwards arrowlow incomes

  • low incomes rightwards arrow low saving rightwards arrow low investment rightwards arrowlow productivity rightwards arrowlow incomes

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21 mark

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

B

C

D

Ghana

Nigeria

Senegal

South Africa

41.7%

55.7%

48.2%

64.8%

8.4%

4.4%

6.4%

2.9%

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31 mark

Which characteristic will show that a country has significant absolute poverty?

  • A majority of the population will have less than average income.

  • Basic living needs are not being met.

  • Most people do not have mobile phones.

  • There is a high number of people living in rural areas.

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4
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1 mark

What role does limited access to education play in the poverty cycle?

  • Limited access to education is not a factor in the poverty cycle

  • Limited access to education can help break the poverty cycle

  • Limited access to education has no impact on the poverty cycle

  • Limited access to education contributes to the poverty cycle

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5
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1 mark

What is the purpose of progressive taxation?

  • An incentive for higher income individuals to work more and earn more income

  • To generate tax revenue for the government from all income levels equally

  • To redistribute wealth and reduce income inequality

  • To encourage investment and savings among lower income individuals

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