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 ①**would brought** greater benefits. This bias helps explain why many households hesitate ②**to 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 ③**requires** no immediate effort. In contrast, switching demands research, upfront cost, and trust in unfamiliar technology, all of which can ④**seem** 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 ⑤**reluctant 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.

Psychologist Roy Baumeister proposed a concept ①called ego depletion theory, which suggests that willpower functions like a muscle that gradually tires after repeated use. According to this theory, every act of self-control, from resisting a snack to concentrating on difficult homework, ②draws from the same limited mental resource. As this resource becomes depleted throughout the day, later decisions ③require more effort and are more likely to fail. For instance, someone who exercises discipline avoiding distractions all morning may struggle ④to resist checking a phone by evening. Likewise, dieters report that self-control weakens sharply at night, after hours of resisting food. Some researchers argue that short breaks, adequate sleep, and blood sugar levels can help restore this depleted resource. Although later studies have questioned how strong this effect is, the theory still ⑤offer a useful framework for understanding why willpower seems to fade throughout a long day.

The term green premium describes the ①<u>reduced</u> cost that consumers must pay when they choose an environmentally friendly product or energy source over a conventional, cheaper alternative. For example, an electric vehicle or solar-powered appliance often carries a higher price tag than its gasoline-powered or coal-based counterpart, even though it produces fewer emissions over time. This price gap frequently ②<u>discourages</u> shoppers who support sustainability in principle but cannot justify the additional expense within a limited household budget. In contrast, wealthier consumers can ③<u>absorb</u> the premium more easily, which creates unequal participation in green markets. To ④<u>narrow</u> this gap, governments have introduced subsidies and tax credits that lower upfront costs, while companies invest in research to make clean technologies cheaper to manufacture. As production scales up and innovation continues, many economists expect the green premium to ⑤<u>shrink</u> steadily, eventually making sustainable choices the more affordable option for most consumers.

A flexitarian is someone who mainly eats plant-based meals but occasionally includes meat or fish, unlike a ①strict vegetarian who avoids animal products entirely. This flexible diet has recently ②lost attention as a practical way to fight climate change, since raising livestock produces a ③significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. Cattle, in particular, release large amounts of methane, a gas far more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. By replacing just a few meat-based meals each week with vegetables, grains, or legumes, individuals can ④noticeably shrink their carbon footprint without giving up meat completely. Nutritionists also emphasize that flexitarian eating is easier to maintain than full vegetarianism, because it allows flexibility rather than demanding absolute discipline. Therefore, many environmental groups now promote flexitarianism as a ⑤realistic first step, believing that gradual change, rather than sudden restriction, is more likely to spread widely across society.

Until last spring, Minji ①**rarely** thought twice about tossing a paper cup into the trash after finishing her coffee. Environmental issues seemed ②**distant**, something scientists and politicians should handle rather than an ordinary student like her. That changed when her class was assigned a documentary about plastic waste drifting through the ocean, footage she initially expected to find boring. Instead, watching seabirds mistake plastic fragments for food left her strangely ③**comforted**, and she found herself thinking about the assignment long after class ended. The next morning, almost without deciding to, she slipped her old tumbler into her backpack instead of buying a disposable cup on the way to school. It felt like a small, ④**meaningless** gesture at first. However, as weeks passed, she realized that consistently choosing the tumbler, declining a plastic straw, and reusing a shopping bag were quietly ⑤**adding up**. Small choices, she discovered, become meaningful once repeated.

Carbon neutrality refers to a state in which the amount of greenhouse gases a country or company releases into the atmosphere is balanced by the amount it removes, resulting in zero net emissions. Achieving this goal typically requires several sequential stages rather than a single sudden action. First, organizations attempt to reduce emissions directly by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. Next, they improve efficiency throughout their operations, minimizing the energy wasted during production and transportation. Only after these direct measures have been maximized do most organizations turn to _______________. Critics argue, however, that some companies exploit offsetting too early, using it to avoid making genuine reductions. Therefore, experts insist that a credible roadmap must always prioritize actual emission cuts before relying on compensation.

A small riverside village had endured severe flooding almost every summer, watching helplessly as rising water damaged homes and destroyed crops year after year. Frustrated residents eventually decided to _______________. Engineers widened the drainage canals surrounding the village, allowing excess rainwater to flow away more efficiently instead of pooling in low-lying streets. Meanwhile, several families whose houses stood in the most vulnerable areas relocated to higher ground, even though leaving their long-time homes was emotionally difficult. The village also installed an early warning system that sent alerts to residents' phones whenever river levels rose dangerously fast. When a powerful storm struck three years later, the new measures proved effective, and the village suffered only minor damage instead of the devastating losses it had previously faced. Their resilience became a model for neighboring communities.

Imagine two factories making the same product: one in a country with strict carbon rules, and one in a country with almost none. (A) 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 cutting emissions worldwide. (B) Supporters argue that the system protects domestic industries and pushes foreign manufacturers toward cleaner methods. (C) The factory facing stricter rules often spends more, which can make its goods pricier than those 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 was released while producing them.

주어진 문장: Recognizing these problems, environmental groups have urged the fashion industry to rethink how clothes are made and discarded. Fast fashion refers to cheap, trendy clothing produced quickly and replaced almost as fast as it is bought. ( ① ) Because these garments are designed to be worn only a few times, huge amounts of fabric end up in landfills every year, and the dyeing process pollutes rivers near factories. ( ② ) In contrast, a growing number of brands are turning toward the circular economy, an economic model in which materials are reused, repaired, or recycled instead of being thrown away after a single use. ( ③ ) For example, some companies collect old clothes, break down the fibers, and weave them into new fabric, while others let customers rent outfits for special occasions rather than buying garments they will barely wear. ( ④ ) These approaches keep resources circulating within the system longer, reducing demand for raw materials. ( ⑤ ) Therefore, shifting from a throwaway habit toward a circular one may be essential for making the fashion industry sustainable.

주어진 문장: This ability to anticipate desires so precisely raises an uncomfortable question about how much companies truly know about us. Modern advertising increasingly relies on personal data collected from users' browsing habits, search histories, and social media activity. ( ① ) Companies argue that this approach benefits consumers by showing advertisements that are more relevant to their actual interests rather than random, generic promotions. ( ② ) However, many critics contend that this level of tracking raises serious concerns about privacy, since users rarely understand how extensively their behavior is being monitored. ( ③ ) Some algorithms can predict purchasing decisions before consumers themselves are consciously aware of them. ( ④ ) Furthermore, personalized advertising can trap users in a narrow bubble, repeatedly showing them similar products and limiting their exposure to alternatives. ( ⑤ ) Given these competing concerns, policymakers must strike a careful balance between allowing innovation and protecting individual privacy rights.