영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Advertisements often rely on subtle psychological techniques ①that persuade viewers without their conscious awareness. One common method, known as social proof, shows images of many people ②using or enjoying a product, suggesting that its popularity guarantees quality. Another technique appeals to authority, ③featuring experts or professionals endorsing a product to make it seem more credible. Repetition also plays a significant role, since seeing the same advertisement multiple times increases familiarity, ④which people often mistake for reliability. Researchers studying consumer behavior have found that viewers who understand these techniques ⑤is less easily influenced by them.

Many teenagers check their social media accounts dozens of times a day, worried that they might miss something important happening among their friends. This anxiety, known as FOMO, or the fear of missing out, ①arises when people believe that others are enjoying experiences from which they themselves are excluded. For example, a student ②scrolling through photos of a party she was not invited to may suddenly feel a wave of loneliness and regret, even though the event has already ended. Constantly ③refreshed feeds to avoid missing such updates, however, makes it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork or conversations happening in the present moment. Moreover, this endless comparison with curated highlights of other people's lives tends to ④deepen feelings of anxiety rather than relieve them. Therefore, students should learn ⑤to limit their social media use and focus more attention on the relationships and activities directly in front of them.

Psychologists have long studied a mechanism called the variable reward schedule, in which rewards ①arrive 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 ②how many they will eventually receive. This uncertainty triggers a small burst of dopamine each time the phone ③is checked, regardless of whether the result is disappointing or thrilling. Consequently, users often refresh their feeds compulsively, ④hoping 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 ⑤stumble upon them by accident.

Many students ①assume that perfectionists work harder than everyone else, but psychologists describe a puzzling pattern called the perfectionism-procrastination cycle. Because perfectionists set impossibly high standards, they often feel ②anxious before they even begin, and the task feels overwhelming. They then ③accelerate the work to avoid facing their own unrealistic expectations, even though delay only increases their stress later. Likewise, an employee facing an important report may check emails repeatedly rather than begin drafting, fearing an early attempt will seem ④inadequate. Ironically, this avoidance guarantees the very failure that perfectionists dread, since ⑤rushed, last-minute work rarely meets their own high standards.

When a price is crossed out and replaced with a lower number, consumers instinctively perceive the new price as a ①loss, even if the original price was rarely charged. Limited-time sales further ②intensify this effect, since a ticking clock encourages rushed decisions that leave little room for careful comparison. Retailers also use phrases such as "while supplies last" to suggest ③scarcity, even when inventory remains plentiful. Over time, frequent sales can actually train customers to wait for discounts rather than buy at full price, which can ④hurt long-term profits. Despite this risk, many companies continue relying on sales events because the short-term boost in customer traffic usually ⑤outweighs the potential downside.

A documentary director named Mira first traveled to a remote Arctic glacier to film its towering cliffs of blue ice, which seemed frozen in time. Standing before the massive wall, she assumed such an enormous structure could hardly change within a lifetime. Five years later, however, she returned to the very same coordinates, expecting her camera to capture an identical scene. Instead, she discovered that the glacier had retreated so dramatically that the ice cliffs, once visible from her original position, had nearly disappeared, leaving bare rock and pools of meltwater behind. Comparing the two sets of footage side by side, Mira realized that _______________. This encounter convinced her that climate change, which she had previously regarded as a distant statistic, was in fact an urgent process reshaping landscapes before her eyes.

Secondhand trading platforms, once considered a niche market for used goods, have grown into a mainstream part of consumer culture. Rising prices for new products, combined with growing awareness of environmental waste, have encouraged many shoppers to consider used items before purchasing something brand new. These platforms allow individuals to sell clothing, electronics, and furniture directly to other consumers, cutting out traditional retail markups entirely. However, buying secondhand carries certain risks, since items cannot always be inspected closely before purchase, and some sellers misrepresent the condition of their products. To address this problem, many platforms now offer buyer protection programs and detailed rating systems for sellers. As trust in these systems continues to grow, ___________.

Generation Z, typically defined as those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, approaches shopping quite differently from previous generations. Having grown up with smartphones and social media, they research products extensively online before making even small purchases. Unlike older generations, who often valued brand loyalty above all else, many members of Generation Z prioritize a company's values, switching brands easily if one no longer matches their beliefs. They also tend to favor secondhand and resale platforms, viewing sustainability as an important factor rather than an afterthought. Peer recommendations shared through short videos frequently carry more weight than traditional celebrity endorsements. Businesses that fail to adapt to these preferences risk losing an entire generation of potential customers. Consequently, many companies now ___________.

Viral marketing campaigns rarely succeed simply because a company has a large advertising budget. (A) A beverage brand, for example, spent almost nothing on production yet reached millions of viewers through a simple dance challenge. (B) Instead, such campaigns tend to succeed when they feel genuine and encourage ordinary users to participate creatively. (C) Other companies later tried to copy the idea, but most failed to capture the same spontaneous energy.

Ethical consumption has placed new pressure on companies to justify their practices publicly. (A) Yet critics point out that such reports are sometimes little more than carefully worded public relations documents. (B) In response, many corporations now publish detailed reports describing their environmental and labor practices. (C) For this reason, many experts insist that independent audits are necessary to confirm whether ethical claims are genuine.