영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Have you ever ①feel a boring class lasted forever while an exciting weekend disappeared in an instant? This common experience reflects what psychologists call the distortion of time perception: subjective time can ②differ from actual clock time. Researchers explain that people who focus intensely on an enjoyable activity ③process fewer separate moments, so time seems to pass quickly. In contrast, bored or anxious people pay closer attention to each moment, ④making time feel as though it is dragging. When people become deeply engaged in a task, they often lose track of time, ⑤unaware of how many minutes have passed.

Time blocking is a time-management technique in which a person ①divides the day into fixed blocks. Each block is then assigned to a single task. Instead of relying on a loose to-do list, the person decides exactly when each task ②will starting and end. This approach lowers the mental effort of deciding what to do next, since the schedule already provides the answer. It also limits multitasking, because each block ③is reserved for only one activity at a time. For instance, a student may block ninety minutes for math practice, ④leaving no room for messages or web browsing. Because each block has a clear boundary, unfinished work is ⑤less likely to quietly spread into the next task.

Choice architecture refers to how decisions are ①designed. It determines which option is automatically selected unless a person chooses otherwise, ②known as the default option. Research consistently shows that people tend to stick with whatever is already set, even when changing it takes only seconds. Organ donation is a well-known example. Countries ③which citizens are automatically registered as donors unless they opt out show much higher donation rates than opt-in countries. Retirement savings programs show a similar pattern, since employees ④automatically enrolled in a pension plan rarely cancel it. Voluntary sign-ups, in contrast, often delay indefinitely. Critics argue that default options can be manipulated to benefit companies, so transparency about how defaults are chosen becomes essential, and supporters insist it should be designed ⑤to support people's long-term interests.

The subscription economy refers to a business model ①in which consumers pay a recurring fee to access goods or services rather than owning them outright. One major reason for this growth is convenience, since subscribers no longer need ②to make repeated purchasing decisions once they sign up. Another reason is that companies benefit from predictable revenue, ③what allows them to plan production and marketing more efficiently than with one-time sales. For example, a monthly clothing subscription delivers new outfits automatically, ④saving customers the time and effort of shopping in stores. However, some critics argue that subscriptions encourage people ⑤to pay for services they barely use.

Psychologists have long studied a mechanism called the variable reward schedule, in which rewards arrive ①predictably 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 ②disappointing or thrilling. Consequently, users often refresh their feeds ③compulsively, hoping the next check will finally bring a satisfying reward. What makes this troubling is that technology companies ④deliberately designed notification systems using insights borrowed from gambling research, rather than stumbling upon them by accident. Such practices raise serious ethical questions about ⑤manipulating users' brains for profit.

Behavioral economists use the term temporal discounting to describe how people ①undervalue future rewards simply because those rewards are not immediate. This tendency explains why a student might choose to watch videos tonight rather than study for an exam that remains several weeks away, even though studying offers a ②smaller long-term benefit. A distant reward, no matter how valuable, feels psychologically smaller than a small reward available right now. This bias contributes to procrastination, since future consequences rarely feel ③urgent enough to motivate immediate action. To counter this tendency, students should ④convert distant goals into smaller, near-term milestones that feel more emotionally real. Setting weekly checkpoints rather than a final deadline can make future benefits feel ⑤closer and more concrete.

When Daniel was a child, he dreamed of becoming an astronaut, yet he assumed such careers belonged only to a handful of government scientists. By the time he entered university, however, the space industry had changed ①dramatically, as private companies began launching satellites and building reusable rockets. Daniel studied aerospace engineering, drawn to the idea that space exploration was no longer ②limited to a few national agencies. During an internship, he helped design a small satellite intended to ③monitor crop health from orbit. He realized that the space industry now needed not only pilots and engineers but also data analysts, technicians, and even lawyers familiar with international space regulations. After graduation, Daniel joined a startup developing lunar landing equipment, a job that ④barely existed when he first imagined his future career. His story shows how commercial space ventures have ⑤closed doors that once seemed impossibly narrow.

Minji had tried for years to build a bedtime reading habit but always forgot once under the blanket. During summer, she found a method called habit stacking. It means attaching 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 to place her book beside her toothbrush. After brushing her teeth, she would pick up the book, letting one action trigger the next. Within two weeks, opening the book after brushing felt almost automatic, requiring no conscious effort. Encouraged by this success, Minji stacked another habit onto her morning routine, reviewing vocabulary words after making her bed. She realized ___________. By the end of summer, both habits felt like steady parts of her routine, requiring no reminders.

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.

Goal-setting theory has influenced not only classrooms but also workplaces around the world. (A) Many companies now train managers to set specific quarterly targets rather than simply asking employees to 'do their best.' (B) As a result, employees often report clearer priorities and a stronger sense of accomplishment. (C) These targets typically include measurable numbers, such as sales figures or project deadlines.