Jan 2013 Ec1

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DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOKLET UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
In addition to this paper, you will need a calculator.
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this page.
Answer all the questions in the spaces provided. You may use continuation paper on page 14 if
necessary, taking care to number the continuation correctly.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
Mark allocations are shown in brackets. This paper has a total of 50 marks.
SM*(W13-1131-01)
Surname
Other Names
Candidate
Number
2
Centre
Number
GCE AS/A level
1131/01
ECONOMICS EC1
P.M. TUESDAY, 15 January 2013
1 hour
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
For Examiners use only
Question
Maximum
Mark
Mark
Awarded
1 3
2 4
3 4
4 4
5 6
6 8
7 11
8 2
9 8
TOTAL 50
2
(1131-01)
Examiner
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Answer all the questions in the spaces provided.
1. The diagram below shows a production possibility frontier for an economy that only produces
cars and tractors.
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
200
100
70 100
Tractors
Using the figures from the above diagram explain how a production possibility frontier can be
used to illustrate the concept of opportunity cost. [3]

Cars
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(1131-01) Turn over.
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2. Productivity in the UK economy
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
Source: ONS
(a) Using the data explain what happened to productivity between 2008 and 2009. [2]

(b) Explain one factor which may affect productivity in the UK economy. [2]

4
+2
+1
0 0
1
2
3
4
5
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006
+2
+1
1
2
3
4
5
Whole economy
output by worker
% change on a year earlier
% %
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3. In the summer of 2011 Hurricane Irene severely damaged the pumpkin crop in the US.
Pumpkins are used extensively in the US to make pumpkin pie and to hollow out for lanterns
at Halloween.
Given this information, using a demand and supply diagram explain why the price of a crate
of pumpkins rose from $150 to $200 in the autumn of 2011. [4]

WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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4. The price of internet music downloads falls from 80p to 60p per track. As a result the
demand for CDs at a chain of music stores falls by 10%.
Calculate the value of the cross price elasticity of demand for CDs with respect to the price of
music downloads. Explain the significance of your answer. [4]

5. In many British schools Year 8 girls are offered a series of injections to reduce the chances of
them contracting cervical cancer in later life. These injections are free to the girls, fully funded
by the NHS, but if these injections were provided at their full price they would cost over 400.
Using the above information explain what is meant by
(a) private costs [2]

(b) private benefits [2]

WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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(1131-01)
Examiner
only
(c) external benefits. [2]

6. In 2010, following a huge recession, the Irish government cut the hourly national minimum
wage by 1 euro to 7.65 euros per hour. According to the Irish government a high minimum
wage is a barrier to job creation for younger and less skilled workers. However, such a move
could take spending power out of the economy and be bad for economic growth. In 2011 the
Irish government restored the minimum wage to 8.65 euros per hour after the Irish economy
began to recover.
With the aid of a diagram and the above information, evaluate the view that a minimum wage
is always bad for jobs. [8]

WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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(1131-01)
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7. The UK coalition government has committed itself to reducing the budget (fiscal) deficit
significantly by 2015. The data below shows the changes in the governments current and
capital spending up to 2015.
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16
800
750
700
650
600
550
10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16
The governments current
spending will keep on rising...
...while capital spending is being slashed
(a) Distinguish with examples between current and capital expenditure by the
government. [4]

billion billion
Annual Public Sector
Current spending
Annual Public Sector
Capital spending
Source: Office for Budget Responsibility
Year Year
Turn over.
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(1131-01)
Examiner
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(b) Using the data, discuss whether the proposed changes in government spending are likely
to benefit the UK economy. [7]

WJEC CBAC Ltd.
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(1131-01)
10
Examiner
only
8. The diagram below shows a 5 tariff being imposed on an imported product with a world price
of 15.
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
20
15
0
30m 50m 100m 120m
S
Sw + t
Sw
D
Quantity (millions)
(a) By how much will imports fall as a result of the tariff? [1]

(b) What will be the governments revenue as a result of the tariff? [1]

2
11
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
TURN OVER FOR
QUESTION 9
12
(1131-01)
Examiner
only
9. SWISS NATIONAL BANK ACTS TO WEAKEN STRONG FRANC.
After three years of steadily rising demand for the Swiss Franc (SF) the exchange rate hit a
high point of 1 SF = 0.93 euros having been only 1 SF = 0.6 euros three years earlier. This
has meant that a good costing 1000 SF has risen from 600 euros to 930 euros over this period
(a price increase of 55 % for Swiss exports to the eurozone). The Swiss Government has now
announced that it will intervene to reduce the value of the Swiss Franc. It has set an upper limit
of 1 SF = 0.83 euros.
Using the data, evaluate the view that a high exchange rate is always bad for an economy. [8]

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Examiner
only
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END OF PAPER
WJEC CBAC Ltd.
8
(1131-01)
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Examiner
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For continuation only.

WJEC CBAC Ltd.

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