Living standards
5.1What the syllabus asks of you
- Indicators of living standards: real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head
- Indicators of living standards: Human Development Index (HDI) and its components
- Indicators of living standards: advantages and disadvantages of real GDP per head and HDI as indicators
- Comparing living standards and income distribution: reasons for differences in living standards and income distribution within and between countries
Read the notes first
Chapter 5: Living standards
Drill this topic
Every question on Living standards, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
40 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AGross Domestic Product per head
BHuman Development Index
Cthe rate of interest
Dthe rate of poverty
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2Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
AGDP per capita will decrease
Bthe rate of inflation will decrease
Cthe standard of living will increase
Dunemployment will increase
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3May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aan increase in gender equality
Ban increase in income per head
Can increase in life expectancy
Dan increase in years of schooling
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4May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AThe food grown is not exported.
BThe GDP does not include agricultural production.
CThe GDP only refers to the public sector.
DThe value of the food is unknown.
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5Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 13 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Athe adult population
Bthe dependent population
Cthe total population
Dthe working population
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6Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 13 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Agross domestic product per year ($m): 600, population (millions): 3
Bgross domestic product per year ($m): 700, population (millions): 2
Cgross domestic product per year ($m): 12000, population (millions): 40
Dgross domestic product per year ($m): 15000, population (millions): 100
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7May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Apopulation 100 million; GDP 800 $ billion; life expectancy 51 years
Bpopulation 200 million; GDP 6000 $ billion; life expectancy 62 years
Cpopulation 300 million; GDP 600 $ billion; life expectancy 48 years
Dpopulation 1000 million; GDP 1600 $ billion; life expectancy 63 years
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8May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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9Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AIncomes were distributed more evenly.
BThere was more activity in the informal economy.
CThe living standards of some people improved.
DThe rate of inflation increased.
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10Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Ainequality of incomes
Blife expectancy
Cgross national income per head
Dyears of schooling
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11May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AHDI includes exports and imports while real GDP does not.
BHDI includes life expectancy and years of schooling while real GDP does not.
CHDI includes the level of output while real GDP does not.
DHDI includes the level of unemployment in the population while real GDP does not.
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12Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aenvironmental sustainability: no, life expectancy: no, years of schooling: yes
Benvironmental sustainability: no, life expectancy: yes, years of schooling: no
Cenvironmental sustainability: no, life expectancy: yes, years of schooling: yes
Denvironmental sustainability: yes, life expectancy: yes, years of schooling: yes
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13May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aaverage earnings and inequalities of incomes
Bbalance of trade and balance of payments
Clife expectancy at birth and expected years of schooling
Dsize of population and age structure of population
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14May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abudget surplus / consumer saving
Bconsumer spending / unemployment
Cinflation / trade surplus
Dproductivity / living standards
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15May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aaverage earnings and inequalities of incomes
Bbalance of trade and balance of payments
Clife expectancy at birth and expected years of schooling
Dsize of population and age structure of population
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16May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abudget surplus / consumer saving
Bconsumer spending / unemployment
Cinflation / trade surplus
Dproductivity / living standards
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17Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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18Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 13 · Q26Show mark scheme →
A1.9, 19, 46, 190
B2.7, 2, 58, 1700
C3.7, 45, 59, 210
D4.2, 89, 44, 190
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19May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aexports and inflation.
Bimports and exports.
Cpopulation change and exports.
Dpopulation change and inflation.
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20May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aexports and inflation.
Bimports and exports.
Cpopulation change and exports.
Dpopulation change and inflation.
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21Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 13 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aeducation
Bincome per head
Clevel of savings
Dlife expectancy
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22May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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23Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AEducation and healthcare are important contributors to the standard of living.
BGDP per head only measures development.
CInequality can only be measured by HDI.
DLiteracy rates are not an effective measure of the standard of living.
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24Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
AGhana — richest 20%: 41.7%, poorest 20%: 8.4%
BNigeria — richest 20%: 55.7%, poorest 20%: 4.4%
CSenegal — richest 20%: 48.2%, poorest 20%: 6.4%
DSouth Africa — richest 20%: 64.8%, poorest 20%: 2.9%
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25Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 13 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aadult literacy rate
Bdoctors per 1000 people
Cunemployment rate
Dyears spent in education
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26Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 13 · Q26Show mark scheme →
AGhana
BNigeria
CSenegal
DSouth Africa
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27May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aan increase in the level of car ownership
Ban increase in life expectancy at birth
Ca rise in the GDP per head
Da rise in the number of years of schooling
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28May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
ABangladesh
BBhutan
CBotswana
DBrunei
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29May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AIt takes into account changes in output.
BIt takes into account changes in population.
CIt takes into account health and education data.
DIt takes into account inflation.
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30May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
ABangladesh
BBhutan
CBotswana
DBrunei
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31Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q20Show mark scheme →
AGDP per head excludes economic growth.
BGDP per head ignores population growth.
CHDI includes more than the production of goods and services.
DHDI is calculated by the national government.
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32Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 13 · Q20Show mark scheme →
AGDP per head excludes economic growth.
BGDP per head ignores population growth.
CHDI includes more than the production of goods and services.
DHDI is calculated by the national government.
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33May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aincome per head: high; provision of education and healthcare (merit goods): high
Bincome per head: high; provision of education and healthcare (merit goods): low
Cincome per head: low; provision of education and healthcare (merit goods): low
Dincome per head: low; provision of education and healthcare (merit goods): high
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34May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
A51, 250, 48
B51, 400, 52
C61, 450, 52
D61, 400, 40
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35May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Afrom $15 to $125
Bfrom $1250 to $1333
Cfrom $1333 to $1250
Dfrom $1333 to $1500
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36Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AIt does not account for inflation.
BIt does not allow for savings.
CIt does not include government expenditure.
DIt only compares export prices with import prices.
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37Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 13 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Abudget surplus → consumer saving
Bconsumer spending → unemployment
Cinflation → trade surplus
Dproductivity → living standards
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38May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Anet migration
Bthe birth rate
Cthe total population
Dthe working population
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39May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AThere is a high inequality of income distribution and a high provision of merit goods.
BThere is a high inequality of income distribution and a limited provision of merit goods.
CThere is equality of income distribution and a high provision of merit goods.
DThere is equality of income distribution and a low provision of merit goods.
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40May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate 41, death rate 20, infant mortality rate 31, life expectancy 49
Bbirth rate 32, death rate 14, infant mortality rate 29, life expectancy 59
Cbirth rate 25, death rate 6, infant mortality rate 25, life expectancy 79
Dbirth rate 25, death rate 5, infant mortality rate 22, life expectancy 79
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