영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

When an oil tanker ruptures and crude spreads across open water, cleanup crews increasingly reach not only for skimmers and floating booms but also for something far smaller: bacteria that ①eat oil. Certain naturally occurring microbes possess enzymes capable of ②breaking hydrocarbon molecules apart, using the carbon as an energy source and gradually converting a toxic slick into carbon dioxide and harmless byproducts. Bioremediation, as this approach is called, works far more slowly than mechanical cleanup, often ③taking months rather than days, but it can reach contamination trapped in soil or sediment that skimmers and booms can never reach. Scientists have learned to accelerate the process by adding nutrients ④that help native microbial populations multiply faster, or in some cases by introducing engineered strains selected specifically for their appetite for a particular pollutant. Because the method relies on living organisms rather than heavy machinery, it also tends ⑤leave a far gentler footprint on the surrounding ecosystem than excavation or chemical treatment ever could.

Value-based consumption refers to the practice of spending money on products or experiences ①that align with a person's personal beliefs, even if cheaper alternatives exist. Some critics dismiss this approach as impractical, ②arguing that most people cannot afford to prioritize ethics over affordability in daily life. However, supporters point out that value-based spending does not require constant sacrifice; it often means ③buying fewer, higher-quality items rather than accumulating cheap goods that wear out quickly. This shift also encourages companies ④improve their practices, since consumer demand increasingly rewards transparency and responsibility. For example, a clothing brand that openly shares its supply chain information may attract loyal customers ⑤willing to pay slightly more.

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 turns a pedestrian into one of the ①most 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 processes only a ②narrow slice of the surrounding environment, filtering out approaching cars, uneven pavement, and other pedestrians almost entirely. What makes this danger especially difficult to address is that pedestrians ③rarely recognize the risk in the moment; unlike distracted driving, which is widely ④condemned, glancing at a phone while crossing the street still feels like a ⑤harmless habit to most people who do it every day.

Automation is transforming labor markets more quickly than economists predicted only a decade ago. Factories once staffed by hundreds of workers now rely on robotic arms that assemble products with remarkable precision, and warehouses use automated systems to sort and deliver packages within a few hours. This shift does not simply eliminate jobs; it also creates roles that never existed before. Technicians who maintain robotic equipment are now in high demand, and engineers who design efficient automated systems are highly valued. Companies that invested early in automation often report ___________, since machines handle repetitive tasks while employees focus on creative problem-solving. This transition, however, also raises concerns about workers whose skills quickly become outdated. Policymakers argue that retraining programs are essential to help displaced workers move into emerging fields.

Every spring, our school holds an art exhibition in the main hallway, and this year I finally submitted a painting of my own. For weeks, I compared my work to my classmates' drawings and felt sure that mine was not good enough to hang beside theirs. My art teacher noticed my hesitation and said something I did not expect: _______________. On the morning the paintings went up, I walked past dozens of styles, from careful realistic portraits to messy, colorful abstractions, and none of them looked like mine. Standing in that crowded hallway, I finally understood that the exhibition's real purpose was not to rank the paintings, but to let students discover how many different perspectives could exist in a single shared space.

A growing number of teenagers are joining book clubs that exist only on their phones. (A) However, a few teachers worry that constant notifications from a reading app can pull attention away from the book itself, since users may spend more time chatting about the story than actually reading it. Despite this concern, many students report that the sense of community keeps them reading books they would have quit halfway through if they had been reading completely alone. (B) These apps let users track how many pages they read each day, write short reviews, and join group chats about a chosen book. Some students say the apps make reading feel less lonely, because they can share their honest reactions the moment they finish a chapter instead of waiting for a weekly meeting. (C) The apps also use gentle reminders and reading streaks to keep members motivated, turning a private habit into a small social game.

Building a reading habit does not usually start with a big decision to read more. (A) It often starts with very small, easy steps, such as keeping a book in a bag or choosing a fixed time each day to read for just ten minutes. (B) These small routines work because they lower the effort needed to begin; once a student opens a book, continuing to read feels much easier than starting did. (C) Over weeks, these tiny actions add up, and reading slowly becomes something the student simply does, rather than something the student has to force.

Getting the structure right at this early stage, she said, matters more than any single beautifully drawn panel. When I finally got the chance to interview a professional webtoon artist for our school newspaper, I expected her to describe drawing as the hardest part of her job. ( ① ) Instead, she told me that writing the story comes first, often taking longer than the artwork itself. ( ② ) She sketches rough thumbnails for an entire chapter before touching a single detailed panel, testing whether the pacing keeps readers scrolling instead of losing interest halfway through. ( ③ ) She also reads every comment section carefully, not to copy what fans suggest, but to understand which moments made readers feel something real. ( ④ ) What surprised me most was learning that a single weekly episode, which takes only a few minutes to read, usually takes her nearly forty hours to complete from script to finished color. ( ⑤ ) Her honesty made me realize that the smooth, effortless feeling of a good webtoon is actually the product of countless invisible decisions.

Even the strangest idea, however small, had to be treated as completely real. On the first day of our improv theater workshop, the instructor gave us a rule that seemed impossible to follow: never say no to whatever another performer suggests. ( ① ) If a scene partner claimed the empty classroom was actually a submarine, our job was to accept that fact instantly and build on it, rather than correcting or rejecting the idea. ( ② ) I found this terrifying at first, since improv offers no script to hide behind and no time to plan a clever line in advance. ( ③ ) Over several weeks, though, I noticed that the students who worried most about saying something wrong were usually the ones who froze on stage, while those who simply accepted whatever happened and reacted honestly created the funniest, most memorable scenes. ( ④ ) The instructor explained that improv is not really about being naturally quick-witted, but about trusting a partner's idea enough to build on it rather than protecting your own. ( ⑤ )

In other words, wide reading does not just add facts to a student's memory; it changes the way that student questions everything else. Students who read many books across many different subjects often develop a habit that quieter learners sometimes lack: the habit of comparing new information with what they already know. ( ① ) A student who has read about ancient wars, ocean ecosystems, and modern economics can more easily notice when two different subjects share a similar pattern. ( ② ) This kind of connection-making is closely related to what psychologists call critical thinking. ( ③ ) Seeing a familiar pattern in an unfamiliar topic allows a person to ask sharper questions instead of accepting new information at face value. ( ④ ) Extensive reading also builds a large mental library of examples, which makes it easier to evaluate whether a new claim sounds reasonable or exaggerated. ( ⑤ ) Teachers often notice that widely read students argue more carefully, supporting their opinions with specific examples rather than vague generalizations. For this reason, many educators now argue that assigning a wide variety of reading material may do more for a student's thinking skills than any single course in logic.