When economists say goods are scarce, they mean: a. consumers are unwilling to buy goods unless they have very low prices. b. goods are generally freely available from nature in most countries. c. consumers are too poor to afford the goods and services available. d. the desire for goods and services exceeds our ability to produce them with the limited resources available.

The correct answer is: **d. the desire for goods and services exceeds our ability to produce them with the limited resources available.** ### Explanation: - **Scarcity** in economics refers to the fundamental problem that arises because resources are limited while human wants are unlimited. This means that there are not enough resources to produce enough goods and services to satisfy all human desires. - The other options do not accurately reflect the concept of scarcity: - **a** suggests a price-related issue rather than a resource limitation. - **b** implies that goods are abundant, which contradicts the definition of scarcity. - **c** focuses on consumer wealth rather than the overall production capacity relative to demand. Thus, option **d** captures the essence of scarcity in economics.