영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

As consumers become more aware of global social and environmental issues, many now expect companies ①to take responsibility beyond simply selling products. This expectation has given rise to ethical consumption, in which shoppers consider factors such as fair wages, humane treatment of animals, and environmental sustainability before making purchases. Companies that ignore these concerns risk public backlash, especially when unethical practices are exposed through investigative journalism or social media. Some corporations have responded by publishing detailed sustainability reports, though critics ②questions whether these documents reflect genuine change or merely serve as public relations tools. Real accountability, according to many experts, ③requires independent verification rather than self-reported claims that cannot be easily checked. Consumers, for their part, must also ④remain vigilant, since a company's marketing language does not always ⑤match its actual practices.

Behavioral economists use the term temporal discounting to describe how people ①undervaluing 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 ②offers a far greater long-term benefit. A distant reward, no matter how valuable, feels psychologically smaller than a small reward ③available right now. This bias contributes to procrastination, since future consequences rarely feel urgent enough ④to motivate immediate action. To counter this tendency, students should convert 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 closer and more concrete. Teachers and parents should provide immediate, meaningful feedback, since prompt recognition helps bridge the gap between present effort and delayed reward, ultimately ⑤reducing the urge to postpone tasks.

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.

Time-management researchers frequently mention a principle known as Parkinson's Law, which states that ___________. According to this idea, a task that could be finished in one hour will often stretch to fill an entire afternoon if that much time is scheduled for it. Students who set vague deadlines frequently experience this effect, spending extra hours refining a report that was already complete. Employees given a full week for a simple project may also delay meaningful progress until the final days, even though the actual work requires far less effort. This pattern happens partly because people unconsciously adjust their pace to match perceived urgency. Setting shorter, more specific deadlines can counter this tendency, forcing tasks to fit within a tighter and more realistic window. By recognizing how flexible time encourages unnecessary delay, individuals can complete assignments more efficiently without sacrificing quality.

Modern advertising increasingly relies on personal data collected from users' browsing habits, search histories, and social media activity. Companies argue that this approach benefits consumers by showing advertisements that are more relevant to their actual interests rather than random, generic promotions. 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. Some algorithms can predict purchasing decisions before consumers themselves are consciously aware of them, which feels unsettling to many people. Furthermore, personalized advertising can trap users in a narrow bubble, repeatedly showing them similar products and limiting their exposure to alternatives. Given these competing concerns, policymakers must ___________.

Have you ever felt 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: ___________. Researchers explain that people who focus intensely on an enjoyable activity process fewer separate moments, so time seems to pass quickly. In contrast, bored or anxious people pay closer attention to each moment, making time feel as though it is dragging.

Attitudes toward buying used goods have changed dramatically over the past decade. (A) As a result, secondhand shopping has shed much of the stigma it once carried among younger consumers. (B) In the past, purchasing used items was often seen as a sign of financial hardship rather than a deliberate choice. (C) Today, many young shoppers proudly describe their secondhand purchases as smart, sustainable decisions.

Unlike a static list of best-sellers, this assistant can adjust its suggestions on the spot, responding to follow-up questions the way a knowledgeable salesperson might in a physical store. Browsing an online store today often means chatting with an AI assistant that asks a few quick questions, such as budget or intended use, before suggesting a short list of products tailored to the answers. ( ① ) Retailers report that shoppers who use these chatbots tend to complete purchases more often and return fewer items, since the guided conversation helps buyers choose products that actually fit their needs. ( ② ) Some shoppers, however, remain wary of how personal the questions can feel. ( ③ ) They wonder how much of that conversation is quietly stored and reused to influence future purchases. ( ④ ) Consumer advocates argue that stores should clearly explain what happens to this data, rather than burying the explanation in a lengthy privacy policy that almost no one reads. ( ⑤ )

주어진 문장: Few shoppers realize how deliberately these small details are arranged to influence their behavior. Retailers use a variety of techniques designed to encourage customers to make unplanned purchases. ( ① ) Placing small, inexpensive items near checkout counters, for example, tempts shoppers who are already waiting in line with little else to do. ( ② ) Online stores achieve a similar effect through countdown timers that create a false sense of urgency, suggesting that a deal will vanish within minutes. ( ③ ) Bright colors, cheerful music, and pleasant scents are also carefully chosen to put customers in a relaxed mood. ( ④ ) Critics argue that these tactics exploit human psychology rather than genuinely informing consumers about a product's value. ( ⑤ ) Supporters of the industry insist that such techniques merely make shopping more enjoyable.

주어진 문장: Because the number of likes a post will receive is never guaranteed, every notification carries a small element of suspense. Psychologists have long studied a mechanism called the variable reward schedule, in which rewards arrive unpredictably rather than after every single action. ( ① ) Slot machines famously exploit this principle, and social media notifications operate on strikingly similar logic. ( ② ) When someone posts a photo, they cannot predict exactly when likes will appear, nor how many they will eventually receive. ( ③ ) This uncertainty triggers a small burst of dopamine each time the phone is checked, regardless of whether the result is disappointing or thrilling. ( ④ ) Consequently, users often refresh their feeds compulsively, hoping the next check will finally bring a satisfying reward. ( ⑤ ) 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 consciously recognize this hidden mechanism and set firm limits on their checking habits.