영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Factories that once employed hundreds of workers on an assembly line now run with a fraction of that staff, as robotic arms handle tasks ① that used to require human hands. Economists have long debated whether this shift destroys jobs or simply ② transforms them. Historical evidence offers some comfort: previous waves of automation eventually created new categories of work that no one ③ had predicted. However, critics point out that earlier transitions unfolded over generations, ④ given workers time to retrain, whereas today's robots are being deployed at a pace that leaves little room for adjustment. For this reason, many economists argue that the real challenge is not the robots themselves, but the speed at which society ⑤ is expected to adapt to them.

A small bakery once sold a basic loaf of bread for three dollars and a premium loaf for six dollars, and most customers, ① uncertain about the added value of the pricier option, simply bought the cheaper one. The owner then introduced a third option: a slightly larger premium loaf priced at seven dollars, one that ② were clearly inferior to the six-dollar loaf in terms of value for money. Almost nobody chose the new seven-dollar loaf, yet sales of the six-dollar loaf rose sharply, because it now ③ appeared to be an obvious bargain when placed beside the inferior newcomer. This pattern, ④ confirmed across countless pricing experiments in other markets, demonstrates that people rarely judge options in isolation; instead, they evaluate choices relative to whatever alternatives happen to be nearby. Businesses have since learned ⑤ to design such decoys deliberately, not expecting them to be purchased at all, but hoping they will make a specific target option look far more attractive by comparison.

When individuals face uncertainty about how to behave, they frequently look to the actions of others for guidance, ①assuming that a behavior adopted by many people is more likely to be correct or appropriate than one adopted by few, a tendency known as social proof. This reliance on collective behavior can be remarkably efficient, since it allows individuals ②to benefit from the accumulated judgment of a crowd without having to gather and evaluate every relevant fact themselves. However, social proof can also lead entire groups astray when the initial signal that ③trigger imitation is itself unreliable or coincidental. A restaurant that happens to attract a long line early in the evening may continue attracting customers throughout the night simply because passersby ④interpret the queue as evidence of superior quality. Financial markets exhibit an analogous pattern: investors who observe others buying a particular asset often join the buying themselves, ⑤reasoning that so many participants cannot all be mistaken.

Summer brings a wide variety of delicious fruits, but many of them ①spoil quickly in the heat. Fruits such as watermelon and melon should be kept in the refrigerator once they ②are cut, since exposure to warm air speeds up spoiling. Berries are especially delicate and should not ③washing until just before eating, because moisture encourages mold to grow. Bananas turn black quickly in cold air, so they are best ④kept on the counter. Wrapping cut fruit tightly in plastic wrap also helps keep it ⑤fresh longer.

Two years ago, I ①began volunteering at an animal shelter near my neighborhood on weekends. My tasks included feeding animals, cleaning cages, and ②help visitors choose a pet to adopt. Over time, I noticed how much I enjoyed calming nervous or injured animals. One rainy afternoon, a frightened puppy ③refused to eat, and I sat quietly beside it for over an hour until it finally relaxed. Watching the puppy trust me changed something inside me, ④which led me to research careers in veterinary medicine. My volunteer work, ⑤which started as a simple hobby, slowly turned into the clearest career direction I had ever found.

Many people give up on their new year's resolutions within just a few days, and psychologists explain that this happens mainly because of _______________. First, willpower is like a muscle that becomes tired after being used too much, so people often run out of self-control by the end of a busy day. Second, many resolutions are unrealistic from the beginning, since people set goals that are far too difficult to reach in a short time. Third, most resolutions do not offer any immediate reward, so people find it hard to stay motivated without seeing fast results.

Many students give up on their New Year goals because the goals feel too big to handle. For example, becoming fluent in English this year sounds exciting, but it can quickly feel overwhelming. A more effective approach is to ___________. Instead of focusing on the entire year, try setting a goal for just one week, such as learning twenty new words. Once you complete that small step, move on to the next one, and gradually build toward the bigger goal.

Engineers are now exploring implants and prosthetics designed to give healthy people abilities beyond ordinary human limits. Supporters frame this as simply the next step in a long history of human enhancement, no different in principle from eyeglasses or vaccines. Critics counter that earlier enhancements were broadly available to anyone regardless of wealth, while cutting-edge neural and physical implants are likely to remain expensive for decades, potentially _______________.

This combination cools rooms more efficiently while using less power than an air conditioner alone. The city government has launched a summer energy-saving campaign to reduce electricity use during the hottest months. ( ① ) To prevent blackouts, residents are asked to set air conditioners no lower than twenty-six degrees Celsius. ( ② ) Turning off lights and unplugging unused electronics can also make a noticeable difference. ( ③ ) The campaign encourages people to use fans together with air conditioners. ( ④ ) Families who reduce their electricity use by more than ten percent compared to last summer will receive a discount on their next bill. ( ⑤ ) Community centers will hold information sessions to teach simple energy-saving tips.

This admission, however, is precisely what the sunk cost fallacy makes so difficult to accept. Consider a construction firm that has spent several years and a substantial budget building a bridge, only to discover partway through that a cheaper and safer alternative route has since become available. ( ① ) A purely forward-looking analysis would compare the remaining cost of finishing the original bridge against the total cost of switching to the new route, ignoring whatever has already been spent. ( ② ) If the new route is genuinely cheaper going forward, the rational choice is to abandon the original project regardless of how much money it has already consumed. ( ③ ) Abandoning the project, however, requires the firm's leadership to publicly acknowledge that a significant portion of the original investment produced no lasting value. ( ④ ) As a result, firms often continue projects long after the numbers clearly favor stopping, simply to avoid confronting this uncomfortable truth. ( ⑤ ) The bridge, in such cases, becomes less a matter of engineering than a monument to the difficulty of admitting a costly mistake.