📚 Case Study Masterclass for CIE Year 9 Economics | 案例分析实战演练
Case study questions are a crucial part of CIE Year 9 Economics exams. They test your ability to apply economic concepts to real-world scenarios, analyse data, and make reasoned arguments. In this masterclass, we will work through a detailed case study of the reusable water bottle market, covering demand, supply, equilibrium, elasticity, government intervention, and market structure. Each section includes paired English and Chinese explanations to strengthen your bilingual understanding and exam technique.
案例分析题是 CIE Year 9 经济学考试中的重点题型。它考察你将经济学概念应用于真实情境、分析数据并进行合理论证的能力。在这节实战课中，我们将深入剖析可重复使用水瓶市场的案例，涵盖需求、供给、均衡、弹性、政府干预以及市场结构。每个部分都配有中英对照讲解，帮助你强化双语理解与应试技巧。
1. Getting to Know Your Case Study | 认识你的案例材料
Imagine you are an economist hired by EcoSip, a firm that produces reusable water bottles. The market has experienced significant changes due to growing environmental awareness and technological improvements. The government is also considering a tax on single-use plastic bottles. Your task is to analyse the market using economic theory. The table below shows the monthly demand and supply schedules for standard reusable water bottles in a typical city.
假设你是一位受 EcoSip 公司（一家生产可重复使用水瓶的企业）聘请的经济学家。由于环保意识增强和技术改进，这个市场发生了显著变化。政府还在考虑对一次性塑料瓶征税。你的任务是运用经济学理论分析这个市场。下表展示了一个典型城市标准可重复使用水瓶的月需求和供给表。
| Price per bottle ($) | Quantity demanded (000s) | Quantity supplied (000s) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 80 | 20 |
| 10 | 60 | 30 |
| 15 | 40 | 40 |
| 20 | 25 | 50 |
| 25 | 15 | 60 |
We will use this data to answer typical exam questions. Always read the case material carefully and highlight key figures before you start writing.
我们将用这些数据来回答典型的考试问题。在动笔前，务必仔细阅读案例材料并标出关键数字。
2. Demand Factors in Action | 需求影响因素实战
The demand for reusable bottles is influenced by several non-price factors. In this case, a major shift has been caused by increased environmental consciousness. Consumers are now more aware of plastic pollution, which has increased their preference for sustainable products. This is a change in tastes and preferences, shifting the demand curve to the right. Additionally, a rise in average incomes may also boost demand if reusable bottles are a normal good. The fall in the price of complementary goods, such as bottle-cleaning brushes, could further increase demand. However, if the price of substitutes like single-use plastic bottles decreases, demand for reusable bottles might fall.
可重复使用水瓶的需求受到多种非价格因素的影响。在本案例中，环保意识的增强导致了需求的重大变化。消费者现在更了解塑料污染，这提高了他们对可持续产品的偏好。这是一种品味和偏好的变化，使需求曲线向右移动。此外，如果可重复使用水瓶是正常商品，平均收入的增加也会刺激需求。互补品（如瓶刷）价格的下降也会进一步增加需求。但是，如果替代品（如一次性塑料瓶）的价格下降，可重复使用水瓶的需求可能会减少。
In an exam, you should identify the specific demand factor from the text and explain whether it causes an extension/contraction (movement along the curve) or a shift. A change in the product's own price causes a movement along the demand curve, while other factors shift the entire curve.
在考试中，你应当从材料中识别出具体的需求因素，并解释它是导致需求量沿曲线变动还是整条曲线移动。商品本身价格的变化引起沿需求曲线的移动，而其他因素则引起整条曲线的平移。
3. Supply Side Shifts | 供给端变化的分析
On the supply side, technology improvements in manufacturing have lowered production costs for reusable bottles. New moulding techniques and more efficient assembly lines have increased productivity, enabling firms to supply more at every price. This is a rightward shift of the supply curve. Additionally, a decrease in the price of raw materials, such as stainless steel or BPA-free plastic, reduces costs of production and expands supply. However, if the government introduces a tax on the raw materials or imposes stricter safety regulations, the cost of production would rise, shifting the supply curve leftwards.
在供给方面，制造技术的进步降低了可重复使用水瓶的生产成本。新的成型技术和更高效的装配线提高了生产率，使企业在每个价格水平上都能供应更多的商品。这表现为供给曲线向右移动。此外，原材料（如不锈钢或不含 BPA 的塑料）价格的下降也会降低生产成本，扩大供给。然而，如果政府对原材料征税或实施更严格的安全法规，生产成本将上升，供给曲线将向左移动。
When answering case study questions, always connect the real-world event (e.g. 'a new robotic factory') to the exact supply determinant (e.g. 'technological progress') and state the direction of the shift.
在回答案例分析题时，一定要将真实事件（例如“新的机器人工厂”）与具体的供给决定因素（例如“技术进步”）联系起来，并说明曲线移动的方向。
4. Finding the Market Equilibrium | 寻找市场均衡
Market equilibrium occurs where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied. Using the table, we can see that at a price of $15, both Qd and Qs are 40,000 units. So the equilibrium price is $
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