영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Many people struggling to fall asleep in noisy environments turn to white noise machines, devices that ①emit a steady, uniform sound covering a broad range of frequencies. The appeal lies in a phenomenon called auditory masking, in which a constant background sound makes sudden noises ②less noticeable to the sleeping brain. Without this masking effect, an abrupt change in sound is far more likely ③to trigger a brief awakening, even if the sleeper does not consciously remember it the next morning. Studies comparing sleep in quiet rooms with sleep alongside white noise have found that participants using white noise ④experienced fewer of these brief awakenings. However, researchers caution that the benefit depends heavily on volume and consistency, since noise that is too loud or that ⑤varying unpredictably can itself become a source of disruption rather than a remedy.

When a resource is shared among many users, none of ①whom bears the full cost of its depletion, each individual is tempted to extract as much value as possible before others do the same. This dynamic, famously ②labeled the tragedy of the commons, describes how shared pastures and fisheries can be degraded even when every participant privately understands the danger of overuse. A single herder who adds one more animal to a communal pasture gains the entire benefit of that addition, whereas the resulting damage to the grass ③is shared among other herders who depend on the land. Because self-interest offers no incentive to restrain consumption unilaterally, the resource tends ④to exhausted long before any user intends such an outcome. For decades, economists assumed that only two remedies existed: strict regulation or the conversion of shared resources into private property. Elinor Ostrom challenged this assumption, however, by ⑤documenting communities that had sustainably managed fisheries and forests for generations through locally devised rules and mutual monitoring rather than external control.

Walking down a crowded street while staring at a phone screen has become such a common sight that it barely draws attention anymore, even though the habit ①turns a pedestrian into one of the least alert people on the sidewalk. Researchers who study attention describe this as a kind of tunnel vision: a person absorbed in a text message or a video ②processes only a narrow slice of the surrounding environment, filtering out approaching cars, uneven pavement, and other pedestrians almost entirely. Hospitals have reported a steady rise in injuries ③linked to distracted walking, ranging from minor scrapes after tripping over a curb to serious collisions with moving vehicles at intersections. Unlike distracted driving, which is widely ④condemned, glancing at a phone while crossing the street still ⑤feel like a harmless habit to most people who do it every day.

Stairs seem too ordinary ①to be dangerous, which is why many people treat them carelessly, texting, carrying an armful of books, or skipping two steps at a time. Emergency room records tell a different story: falls on stairways ②sends more people to the hospital each year than almost any other household accident. Familiarity encourages a kind of autopilot mode, in which a person stops ③looking at each step and instead relies on memory of where the stairs should be, a habit that ④fails the moment something unexpected occurs, such as a missing step or a loose railing. Safety officials recommend a few unglamorous habits: keep one hand free, use the handrail, and turn on the light before ⑤stepping onto a dark staircase.

Telemedicine, which allows patients to consult doctors through video calls rather than in-person visits, has expanded rapidly since its early ①adoption. Supporters argue that this approach saves patients considerable time and makes healthcare ②accessible to people living in remote areas without nearby hospitals. However, critics contend that virtual appointments can ③easily replace physical examinations, which remain essential for detecting certain conditions. They also worry that elderly patients unfamiliar with technology may ④struggle to access these services effectively. Despite such concerns, most healthcare experts believe telemedicine will continue to grow, ⑤complementing rather than replacing traditional in-person care.

Psychologists who study daily behavior describe habits through a model called the cue-routine-reward loop. This theory explains that every habit begins with a cue, a signal that tells the brain to start an automatic behavior. The brain then performs a routine, which is the action itself, whether physical or mental. Finally, the brain receives a reward, a positive feeling that makes it want to repeat the same behavior. For example, a notification sound can act as a cue that leads a student to check a phone, and the relief from boredom becomes the reward. Similarly, opening a refrigerator out of habit rather than hunger shows how a routine can run without conscious thought. Because this loop operates automatically, breaking a bad habit requires ___________. Understanding this structure helps people redesign daily patterns more effectively than relying on willpower alone.

Online advertising has become increasingly personalized as algorithms analyze user behavior in real time. (A) Critics, however, warn that this precision can be used to exploit psychological weaknesses rather than genuinely help consumers. (B) Supporters claim that this precision benefits users by reducing the number of irrelevant advertisements they encounter. (C) Given these opposing views, many experts call for greater transparency about how such algorithms actually operate.

After learning that my constant headaches were caused by air-conditioning sickness, I decided to change a few habits. (A) Next, I made sure to drink warm water instead of only cold drinks throughout the day. (B) First, I began carrying a light jacket to wear whenever a room felt too cold. (C) Finally, I started stretching and walking around every hour instead of sitting still all day.

Biodegradable plastics have been promoted as a promising solution to plastic waste, since they are designed to decompose into natural substances rather than persist for centuries. (A) For example, a bag labeled biodegradable may take years, not the weeks advertised, to break down in a landfill or ocean, where temperature and microbial activity remain low. In addition, when mixed with conventional plastics in recycling streams, they can contaminate the process, weakening the quality of materials produced afterward. (B) Some engineers therefore compare biodegradable plastics to a bridge that leads nowhere unless paired with infrastructure that completes the journey. Ultimately, realizing their genuine potential requires not only technological refinement but also facilities capable of providing the precise conditions decomposition demands. (C) Manufacturers derive these materials from renewable resources such as corn starch, blending them with additives that accelerate microbial breakdown once discarded. However, their environmental benefits are often exaggerated, largely because decomposition depends on specific conditions rarely found outside industrial composting facilities.

After all, the sentences are short and the pictures seem to do most of the storytelling. Picture books are usually written for young children, but a growing number of adults are picking them up for themselves. ( ① ) At first glance, a picture book seems too simple for someone who has already learned to read long novels. ( ② ) However, many picture books deal with serious themes, such as loss, fear, and change, using only a few carefully chosen words. ( ③ ) Because the text is short, every sentence carries extra weight, and readers naturally slow down to notice small details in the pictures. ( ④ ) This slower pace can feel calming for adults who are used to rushing through long articles and constant notifications. ( ⑤ ) A picture book can also be finished in a single sitting, which makes it easy to return to the same story again and again, and for these reasons, therapists and teachers sometimes recommend picture books not only to children but also to stressed adults who need a quiet moment.