영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Behavioral economists use the term status quo bias to describe a tendency to prefer the present situation over a new alternative, even when the alternative ①would brought greater benefits. This bias helps explain why many households hesitate ②to switch to renewable energy, such as installing solar panels on their roofs. Although solar panels can lower electricity bills over time, homeowners often stick with their current power source because it feels safe and ③requires no immediate effort. In contrast, switching demands research, upfront cost, and trust in unfamiliar technology, all of which can ④seem risky compared with doing nothing. For example, a neighborhood association might repeatedly postpone a vote on shared solar panels, not because the plan is flawed, but because members are ⑤reluctant to leave their routine. Therefore, boosting renewable adoption may depend less on proving its advantages and more on designing programs that make the first step feel easy.

Sociologists use the term homophily ①to describe the tendency of people to form connections with others who share similar backgrounds, opinions, or interests. This principle explains why classmates from the same major often become close friends, while coworkers with shared hobbies naturally gravitate toward one another. Because similarity reduces the effort required to understand another person's perspective, relationships ②built on shared traits tend to feel comfortable and require less negotiation. However, this same comfort can narrow the range of viewpoints someone ③encounters, since surrounding oneself with similar people limits exposure to different ideas. Social media platforms intensify this pattern through recommendation algorithms that ④suggest new friends based on shared interests or similar browsing history. As a result, users often find their online circles becoming increasingly homogeneous, filled with people who think and behave much like themselves. Recognizing this tendency ⑤allow individuals to make deliberate efforts to broaden their social networks.

For decades, productivity advice has focused almost entirely on managing time efficiently, yet many experts now argue this approach ①emphasizes something important. Unlike time, which flows at a ②constant rate, human energy naturally rises and falls in cycles shaped by sleep, food, and mental fatigue. A person who tackles difficult tasks during a low-energy period, for instance, may need two hours to finish what takes thirty minutes at ③peak energy. Similarly, someone who forces themselves to keep working without rest often produces careless mistakes that require additional time to ④correct later. Advocates of energy management recommend identifying one's peak hours and reserving them for demanding work, while saving low-energy periods for ⑤routine tasks.

Social psychologists describe a phenomenon called the bystander effect, in which individuals become less likely to help a victim as the number of witnesses ①increases. Each observer assumes someone else will step in, and this diffusion of responsibility leaves no one willing to act. Cyberbullying ②minimizes this problem, since a single humiliating post can be witnessed by thousands of people scattered across the internet rather than a few standing nearby. Anonymity ③intensifies the effect further, allowing silent observers to scroll past cruel comments without feeling accountable for their inaction. Some bystanders even worry that intervening publicly might make them the bully's next target, so they choose to remain ④silent instead. However, silence signals approval to both the bully and the audience watching the exchange unfold. Experts insist that even a single supportive comment can ⑤disrupt this harmful pattern.

Among strategies for improving ①concentration, the Pomodoro Technique remains one of the most widely recommended methods for students and workers. This technique involves working with full attention for twenty-five minutes, then taking a short five-minute break before starting the next session. After completing four of these cycles, a longer break of fifteen to thirty minutes is usually taken to allow mental ②recovery. The method assumes that sustained focus becomes harder to maintain as time passes, so frequent short breaks prevent mental ③fatigue from building up. Students preparing for exams report finishing reading assignments faster when they follow this structured rhythm instead of studying without interruption. Office workers find that dividing large projects into short, timed intervals makes overwhelming tasks feel more ④manageable. Because each interval has a clear start and end, procrastination becomes ⑤more tempting, since beginning a single twenty-five-minute session requires less commitment than beginning an entire project.

Many people believe that building a new habit requires strong willpower or motivation. However, psychologist BJ Fogg argues that habits form more easily when a behavior itself becomes simple to perform. His theory, called the Fogg Behavior Model, states that ___________. When motivation is low, the task must be made extremely easy, or it will not happen at all. For instance, a person who wants to exercise daily succeeds more often by committing to one push-up than to a long workout. Fogg calls this idea the law of least effort, since people naturally choose the option requiring the least energy. A student who wants to read more might leave a book open on the desk rather than setting a vague goal. By lowering the required effort, people reduce the ability barrier and make steady action far more achievable.

Implementation intentions have become one of the most widely studied tools in behavioral psychology for helping people reach their goals. (A) Unlike a vague goal such as "I will exercise more," an implementation intention specifies both the situation that triggers the behavior and the exact action that follows. (B) Because the decision has already been made in advance, people no longer need to rely on willpower at the critical moment when the temptation to skip arises. (C) For example, a person might decide, "If it is seven in the morning, then I will put on my running shoes immediately," rather than simply hoping to find time to exercise.

Psychologists have long studied how people determine their own worth by looking at those around them. (A) Festinger's theory explains this tendency, showing that individuals often compare themselves with others to evaluate their own abilities and opinions. (B) When people compare themselves with someone who seems more accomplished, a process called upward comparison, they often experience envy and lower self-esteem. (C) Social media intensifies this effect by constantly presenting curated images of other people's seemingly perfect lives.

주어진 문장: This explains why progress often feels rapid and motivating during the earliest days of learning something new. The twenty-hour rule proposes that years of practice are not needed to become skilled at a new activity. ( ① ) Only about twenty hours of effort are needed to reach a useful level. Unlike theories claiming true mastery requires ten thousand hours, this rule targets a more modest goal. That goal is simple competence for everyday use. ( ② ) According to supporters, practicing any new skill produces the fastest visible improvement, since a beginner has room to grow. ( ③ ) Someone learning guitar can typically strum simple chords and follow a basic song within twenty hours of daily practice. ( ④ ) Likewise, a language learner may soon order food or ask directions without years of formal study. ( ⑤ ) Advocates emphasize that the twenty hours must be deliberate and focused, broken into short daily sessions rather than one long stretch. The hours should be aimed at fixing weaknesses rather than repeating what one already knows.

주어진 문장: This is why productivity coaches often recommend starting with just one or two blocks per day rather than filling the entire schedule at once. Time blocking is a time-management technique in which a person divides the day into fixed blocks. Each block is then assigned to a single task. ( ① ) Instead of relying on a loose to-do list, the person decides exactly when each task will start and end. ( ② ) This approach lowers the mental effort of deciding what to do next, since the schedule already provides the answer. ( ③ ) It also limits multitasking, because each block is reserved for only one activity at a time. ( ④ ) For instance, a student may block ninety minutes for math practice, leaving no room for messages or web browsing, while another student may reserve an evening block solely for vocabulary review. Because each block has a clear boundary, unfinished work is less likely to quietly spread into the next task. Many people who adopt time blocking feel more organized throughout the day. ( ⑤ )