영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Imagine two factories ①**making** the same product: one in a country with strict carbon rules, and one in a country with almost none. The factory facing stricter rules often spends more, which can make its goods pricier than those ②**made** elsewhere. To fix this imbalance, some governments have introduced the carbon border adjustment mechanism, a policy charging imported goods a fee based on how much carbon ③**were released** while producing them. Supporters argue that the system protects domestic industries and ④**pushes** foreign manufacturers toward cleaner methods. However, critics claim it unfairly burdens developing countries, which often lack money to modernize factories quickly. For example, a small exporter in a poorer nation might struggle to pay the added charge, though it contributes little to global emissions. Still, if wealthier nations pair the policy with technical support, it could become a genuinely fair tool for ⑤**cutting** emissions worldwide.

Anthropologist Robin Dunbar ①proposed a concept now known as Dunbar's number, suggesting that human beings can only maintain about one hundred fifty stable social relationships at any given time. This limit, he argued, comes from the size of the human brain, ②which restricts how many meaningful connections a person can cognitively manage. In contrast, many social media users today have hundreds or even thousands of online friends and followers, a number far ③exceeding what Dunbar's research predicts. However, having numerous digital contacts does not necessarily mean that all of these relationships ④are close or emotionally supportive. Most users, when asked, admit that they interact regularly with only a small fraction of their total followers, while the rest remain ⑤largely unnoticing.

Psychologist Leon Festinger introduced social comparison theory, which ①explains that people evaluate their own abilities and opinions by comparing themselves with others. According to this theory, individuals engage in upward comparison when they measure themselves against someone ②who appears more successful, attractive, or accomplished. Social media platforms, filled with carefully edited photos and exaggerated achievements, ③provide endless opportunities for this kind of comparison. For instance, a teenager browsing vacation pictures posted by classmates may begin to feel that her own ordinary life ④are somehow inadequate. Unlike comparing oneself with someone in a similar position, which can sometimes boost confidence, upward comparison frequently ⑤triggers envy, dissatisfaction, and lower self-esteem.

Minji spent nearly every evening ①watched Jimin, an online creator who streamed cooking videos and chatted casually with her viewers. Over several months, Minji began to feel as though she truly knew Jimin, ②laughing at her jokes and worrying whenever she mentioned having a difficult week. Whenever Jimin responded to a comment, even a simple one, Minji felt a small thrill of connection, as if they ③were becoming closer friends. One day, Minji excitedly waited outside a fan event, ④hoping that Jimin would recognize her from the countless messages she had sent. However, Jimin greeted her the same way she greeted every other stranger in line, ⑤without any hint of personal recognition.

Internet activist Eli Pariser introduced the term filter bubble to describe a phenomenon ①created by online algorithms. Social media platforms and search engines constantly track which links users click and how long they linger on certain posts. Based on this data, algorithms predict what each individual is most likely ②to enjoy and quietly prioritize similar content in future results. As a result, two people who type the same search query can receive strikingly different results, each ③tailoring to personal history. This automatic filtering happens silently, without users ever ④deciding to limit what they see. Consequently, many people gradually lose access to viewpoints ⑤that challenge their existing beliefs, even though they never intended to avoid them.

Sociologist Mark Granovetter introduced an idea that seems contradictory at first glance, known as the strength of weak ties. According to this theory, people who see each other only occasionally, called weak ties, often ①provide more valuable information than close friends or family members, who are considered strong ties. This happens because strong ties tend to share the same social circles and, therefore, already possess similar knowledge. Weak ties, in contrast, move within different networks, which ②allows them to introduce ideas or opportunities that would otherwise remain unknown. For example, a former classmate rarely contacted might mention a job opening unavailable through one's immediate circle. Social media platforms have made maintaining such connections remarkably easier, letting users ③keeping hundreds of loose acquaintances active without frequent face-to-face meetings. Consequently, these platforms function as efficient channels through which weak ties continue ④delivering fresh opportunities that close relationships simply cannot ⑤offer.

Setting a goal such as 'I will study harder' rarely leads to ①meaningful improvement. According to psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, ②specific and challenging goals produce far better performance than vague or easy ones. This idea, known as goal-setting theory, suggests that ③clear targets direct attention and sustain effort over time. To apply this theory effectively, many educators recommend the SMART framework, which requires goals to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For instance, a student following this framework might say, 'I will memorize thirty new words every week for two months.' Because the goal includes a clear number and a deadline, progress becomes easy to ④track and evaluate. Challenging goals also tend to increase motivation, since people often work harder when a target feels meaningfully ⑤easy rather than trivially simple.

Have you ever noticed that a ①finished task keeps returning to your mind long after you stopped working? This phenomenon was first noticed by psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, who saw that waiters remembered ②unpaid orders better than paid ones. Her observation led to what is now called the Zeigarnik effect: people remember ③incomplete tasks more vividly than completed ones. According to this theory, the mind maintains mental tension until a task reaches ④closure, keeping the unfinished task active in memory. Once the task is completed, the tension is ⑤released, and the mind lets go of the details.

Many people believe that a new habit becomes automatic after only twenty-one days, but researchers who examined real behavior found a different number. This project, called the 66-day habit formation study, tracked volunteers who tried to adopt a new daily habit, like drinking water with lunch. Researchers measured how automatic each action felt over time and found that habits needed ___________. Yet the actual time varied widely, ranging from about eighteen days for simple habits to over two hundred days for difficult ones. This wide range explains why the popular twenty-one-day claim, though easy to remember, rarely matches real experience.

Many students assume that perfectionists work harder than everyone else, but psychologists describe a puzzling pattern called the perfectionism-procrastination cycle. This term describes how an intense fear of imperfect work causes people to ___________. Because perfectionists set impossibly high standards, they often feel anxious before they even begin, and the task feels overwhelming. They then postpone the work to avoid facing their own unrealistic expectations, even though delay only increases their stress later. For example, a student writing a research paper might spend hours reorganizing notes instead of composing a single sentence that feels good enough. Likewise, an employee facing an important report may check emails repeatedly rather than begin drafting, fearing an early attempt will seem inadequate. Ironically, this avoidance guarantees the very failure that perfectionists dread, since rushed, last-minute work rarely meets their own high standards.