영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

For centuries, dreams have fascinated scientists and philosophers alike, yet no single theory fully ①explains why the sleeping brain generates such vivid and often bizarre experiences. One prominent idea suggests that dreaming helps the brain process emotional experiences, ②replays difficult events in a safe, low-stakes environment so that their emotional intensity gradually fades. Another theory proposes that dreams serve a more practical function, ③allowing the brain to rehearse responses to threats without any real danger. Still other researchers argue that dreaming is simply a byproduct of the brain organizing memories, with vivid imagery ④arising as the mind sorts through the day's information rather than serving any independent purpose of its own. Because these theories rest on indirect evidence, none has ⑤been conclusively proven.

Many teenagers check their social media accounts dozens of times a day, worried that they might miss something ①important happening among their friends. This anxiety, known as FOMO, or the fear of missing out, arises when people believe that others are enjoying experiences from which they themselves are excluded. For example, a student scrolling through photos of a party she was not invited to may suddenly feel a wave of ②loneliness and regret, even though the event has already ended. Constantly refreshing 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 ③deepen feelings of anxiety rather than ④worsen them. Therefore, students should learn to ⑤limit their social media use and focus more attention on the relationships and activities directly in front of them.

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.

After a viewer finishes an episode, a streaming service rarely leaves the choice of what to watch next entirely up to chance. Instead, a recommendation algorithm ①compares that viewer's habits with patterns drawn from millions of other users who watched similar content, then ranks thousands of titles in order of predicted interest. This approach keeps viewers ②disengaged far longer than a simple list of new releases ever could, which is precisely why streaming companies invest so heavily in refining it. The system is not without drawbacks, however. Because the algorithm favors titles similar to what a viewer already enjoys, it can quietly ③narrow someone's exposure to unfamiliar genres, directors, or cultures, creating a comfortable but repetitive bubble. Some platforms have begun inserting occasional wildcard suggestions, deliberately unrelated to past viewing habits, in an attempt to ④counteract this narrowing effect and keep recommendations from becoming too ⑤predictable.

Communication scholar Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann proposed the spiral of silence theory to explain why certain opinions ①dominate public discussion while others fade into invisibility. According to this theory, individuals constantly observe their surrounding environment to judge which opinions are widely accepted and which are not. When people sense that their own view belongs to a minority, they often choose to stay ②vocal rather than risk social isolation or criticism. This silence, however, creates a distorted impression that the minority opinion is even ③rarer than it actually is, discouraging additional supporters from speaking up. Over time, this cycle spirals downward, allowing the dominant opinion to appear increasingly ④unanimous while dissenting voices disappear from visible conversation. Social media platforms can intensify this spiral, since visibility metrics make popular opinions instantly ⑤noticeable while unpopular ones remain hidden.

Many people feel a sudden wave of anxiety when their smartphone battery is nearly dead or they have left it at home. 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. Nomophobia involves physical symptoms, including a racing heart, sweating, and restlessness, whenever a person cannot check messages or social media. 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. 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. ___________.

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 would bring greater benefits. This bias helps explain why many households hesitate 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 requires no immediate effort. In contrast, switching demands research, upfront cost, and trust in unfamiliar technology, all of which can 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 reluctant to leave their routine. Therefore, boosting renewable adoption may depend less on proving its advantages and more on _______________.

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.

A navigation app calculating a route rarely relies on distance alone; instead, it constantly weighs real-time traffic reports, past congestion patterns, and even data from other drivers' phones currently on the road. (A) Residents of these once-quiet neighborhoods have increasingly complained about the sudden surge of unfamiliar traffic, arguing that the algorithm can end up creating a new problem for the wider community. (B) The convenience comes at a cost that few passengers consider, however, since redirecting thousands of drivers onto the same shortcut can make a quiet side street as congested as the highway it was meant to help travelers avoid. (C) This flood of information allows the app to reroute a driver away from a sudden accident within seconds, often before the driver has any idea the accident occurred at all.

Planning a multi-city trip once meant hours spent comparing flight schedules, reading hotel reviews, and mapping out which sights were close enough to visit in a single day. (A) Many travelers appreciate having a solid starting point rather than a blank page. (B) Still, seasoned travelers warn that these itineraries can feel oddly generic, often steering users toward the same popular landmarks that every other AI-generated plan recommends. (C) AI travel planners now compress much of that work into a short conversation, generating a full day-by-day itinerary within minutes based on enormous amounts of data.