CARS Quiz
20 questions · no time limit
0:00
FOUNDATIONS OF COMPREHENSION
Question 1 of 20
No time limit
Current
Answered
Flagged
Not seen
Read the passage and answer the question.
An economist writing about consumer choice noted that markets are often praised for "revealing preferences." The phrase suggests that what people buy straightforwardly expresses what they want. Yet the economist argued that many purchases are better understood as solutions to constraints than as endorsements of products. A commuter who buys a car may not prefer driving; she may be responding to unreliable transit. A family that buys inexpensive, shelf-stable food may not prefer it; they may be responding to time scarcity, storage limitations, or unpredictable income.
The economist compared two policy proposals. One sought to improve consumer information through clearer labels and education, assuming that poor choices stem from misunderstanding. The other sought to change the conditions under which choices are made—work schedules, neighborhood infrastructure, and access to services—on the grounds that information alone cannot create options that do not exist. The economist did not dismiss the value of information; he suggested that it matters most when people have genuine room to maneuver.
He concluded that when analysts treat purchases as transparent "votes" for products, they risk mistaking adaptation for desire. This mistake, he implied, can lead policymakers to blame individuals for choices that are, in a practical sense, the least bad available.
The passage implies that "revealing preferences," as commonly used, tends to:
YOUR PROGRESS
20
QUESTIONS
Ready when you are
Answer in any order. Your progress shows here as you go.
QUESTIONS
KEYBOARD
Pick an answer ABCD
Next question ↵→
Previous ←
Flag for review F
Answers save as you go · flagged questions come back at the end