영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Minji had tried for years ①building a bedtime reading habit but always forgot once under the blanket. During summer, she found a method called habit stacking. It means ②attaching a new habit to an existing one so it acts as a reminder. Her existing habit was brushing her teeth every night, so she decided ③to place her book beside her toothbrush. After brushing her teeth, she would pick up the book, ④letting one action trigger the next. Encouraged by this success, Minji stacked another habit onto her morning routine, ⑤reviewing vocabulary words after making her bed.

Many people believe that a new habit becomes automatic after only twenty-one days, but researchers who ①examined real behavior found a different number. Researchers measured how automatic each action felt over time and found that habits needed an average of sixty-six days to become ②effortless. Yet the actual time varied ③widely, 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, ④frequently matches real experience. For instance, flossing might feel automatic within a few weeks, while jogging every morning may take months to feel ⑤natural.

Limited-edition products are goods that are released in small quantities for a short period of time. Many companies use this strategy because ___________. When consumers believe that a product will disappear soon, they often feel pressured to buy it immediately rather than wait. For instance, a sneaker company that releases only a few thousand pairs of a special design can generate long lines outside stores overnight. This excitement is intensified by social media, where people proudly share photos of items that others could not obtain. However, this psychological pressure can lead to purchases that are driven by fear rather than genuine need. As a result, some shoppers later regret spending money on products they rarely use afterward.

Psychologists who study daily behavior describe habits through a model called the cue-routine-reward loop. This theory explains that every habit begins with a cue, a signal that tells the brain to start an automatic behavior. The brain then performs a routine, which is the action itself, whether physical or mental. Finally, the brain receives a reward, a positive feeling that makes it want to repeat the same behavior. For example, a notification sound can act as a cue that leads a student to check a phone, and the relief from boredom becomes the reward. Similarly, opening a refrigerator out of habit rather than hunger shows how a routine can run without conscious thought. Because this loop operates automatically, breaking a bad habit requires ___________. Understanding this structure helps people redesign daily patterns more effectively than relying on willpower alone.

Psychologists have long studied a mechanism called the variable reward schedule, in which rewards arrive unpredictably rather than after every single action. Slot machines famously exploit this principle, and social media notifications operate on strikingly similar logic. When someone posts a photo, they cannot predict exactly when likes will appear, nor how many they will eventually receive. This uncertainty triggers a small burst of dopamine each time the phone is checked, regardless of whether the result is disappointing or thrilling. Consequently, users often refresh their feeds compulsively, hoping the next check will finally bring a satisfying reward. What makes this troubling is that technology companies deliberately designed notification systems using insights borrowed from gambling research, rather than stumbling upon them by accident. Such practices raise serious ethical questions about manipulating users' brains for profit. Therefore, people must _______________.

To compensate for their carbon emissions, many individuals and companies now purchase carbon offsets, financial credits that fund projects such as planting trees or building renewable energy plants. The idea is appealing: paying for an equivalent amount of carbon to be absorbed elsewhere should cancel out the harm caused by activities like flying. However, critics argue that this system often functions as _______________. For example, a newly planted forest may take decades to absorb the promised carbon, and it could later burn down or be cut, erasing any benefit. Moreover, some offset projects would have happened anyway, meaning the credits fund nothing truly additional. Therefore, relying heavily on offsets allows businesses to maintain harmful practices while appearing responsible. Experts insist that offsetting should complement, not replace, direct reductions in fossil fuel use if the strategy is to remain credible.

Software development teams are especially known for missing their own deadlines by wide margins. (A) A team asked to estimate a new project usually imagines everything proceeding smoothly, without bugs, meetings, or unexpected requests. (B) To avoid repeating this mistake, some teams now review how long their last three similar projects actually took before setting a new deadline. (C) Because this imagined version rarely matches reality, the original deadline is missed almost every time, often by weeks or months.

주어진 문장: Many people, once they realize how much unused subscriptions cost them, feel genuine regret. The subscription economy refers to a business model in which consumers pay a recurring fee to access goods or services rather than owning them outright. ( ① ) This model has expanded rapidly beyond entertainment platforms into areas such as clothing, food, and even transportation. ( ② ) One major reason for this growth is convenience, since subscribers no longer need to make repeated purchasing decisions once they sign up. ( ③ ) However, some critics argue that subscriptions encourage people to pay for services they barely use, quietly draining their monthly budgets. ( ④ ) Because canceling often requires several steps, many consumers simply forget to end subscriptions they no longer need. ( ⑤ ) Consequently, experts recommend reviewing subscription lists regularly to avoid unnecessary expenses.

주어진 문장: This feeling is not simply nervousness about being alone, but a specific condition that researchers have begun to study closely. Many people feel a sudden wave of anxiety when their smartphone battery is nearly dead or they have left it at home. ( ① ) This intense discomfort, known as nomophobia, is short for "no-mobile-phone phobia," a term describing the fear of losing connection to one's phone. ( ② ) Nomophobia involves physical symptoms, including a racing heart, sweating, and restlessness, whenever a person cannot check messages or social media. ( ③ ) Researchers explain that this fear develops because smartphones have become tightly linked to social belonging; missing a notification can feel like being cut off from friends. ( ④ ) For example, some students check their phones dozens of times an hour, even during class, just to confirm nothing important has been missed. Therefore, experts suggest gradually reducing phone checks to weaken this anxious dependence. ( ⑤ ) Recognizing nomophobia as a real psychological pattern is the first step toward a healthier relationship with technology.

주어진 문장: In reality, however, that "original" price was sometimes never actually charged to any customer. Retailers frequently rely on sales events to boost short-term revenue, but the psychology behind these promotions is more complex than simple discounting. ( ① ) When a price is crossed out and replaced with a lower number, consumers instinctively perceive the new price as a bargain. ( ② ) This technique, known as anchoring, shapes how shoppers judge value by comparing prices rather than evaluating a product on its own merits. ( ③ ) Limited-time sales further intensify this effect, since a ticking clock encourages rushed decisions that leave little room for careful comparison. ( ④ ) Retailers also use phrases such as "while supplies last" to suggest scarcity, even when inventory remains plentiful. ( ⑤ ) Over time, frequent sales can actually train customers to wait for discounts rather than buy at full price.