영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

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.

When engineers design the software ① that controls a self-driving car, they inevitably face a question that philosophers have debated for decades. If a crash becomes unavoidable, should the vehicle protect its own passenger at all costs, or should it be programmed ② minimizing total harm, even if that means steering toward the person inside? Surveys reveal an uncomfortable contradiction: most people say a car should be programmed to save the greater number of lives, yet the same people admit ③ they would never buy a vehicle designed to sacrifice its own owner. This gap between the ideal and the personal choice suggests that ethical programming cannot ④ be settled by public opinion alone. Manufacturers, regulators, and philosophers must instead agree on transparent rules before autonomous vehicles ⑤ are allowed to make such decisions on the road.

Marketers have long recognized that perceived scarcity, the sense that a product or opportunity is available only in limited quantity or for a limited time, can dramatically increase its ①desirability, even when the item's intrinsic qualities remain entirely unchanged. This phenomenon, known as the scarcity effect, operates on a simple psychological principle: when something appears ②easy to obtain, people tend to infer that it must be valuable, since truly worthless items rarely generate genuine competition for possession. A retailer who labels a product as "limited edition" or displays a countdown timer beside a discounted offer exploits this inference, prompting customers to make ③hurried purchase decisions they might otherwise postpone or reconsider. Experimental studies confirm that identical products are rated as more desirable and often command ④higher prices when framed as scarce than when the same products are presented as widely and continuously available. Consumers who later reflect calmly on such purchases frequently discover that the item's actual usefulness fell well short of the ⑤urgency they experienced at the moment of decision.

Self-driving technology is advancing rapidly, and its impact on the transportation industry is becoming increasingly ①visible. Companies are testing autonomous trucks that can travel long distances without human drivers, potentially ②transforming how goods move across countries. Millions of professional drivers worry about losing their jobs as automation ③spreads through the industry. Experts predict that certain driving jobs, particularly long-distance trucking, may shrink significantly within the next two decades. However, new roles are also ④emerging, including remote vehicle operators who monitor fleets of autonomous trucks. Workers who adapt their skills toward supervising and maintaining these systems are likely to find new opportunities rather than face ⑤employment.

Individuals confronted with a set of options frequently default to whichever alternative requires no active decision at all, a tendency scholars term the status quo bias. When employees must actively opt into a retirement savings plan, participation rates remain stubbornly low; yet when the same plan is presented as automatic unless an employee opts out, participation rises dramatically. Because inaction carries no vivid regret, the status quo comes to feel safer than it objectively is, illustrating how ___________ can masquerade as a deliberate preference.

Secondhand trading platforms, once considered a niche market for used goods, have grown into a mainstream part of consumer culture. Rising prices for new products, combined with growing awareness of environmental waste, have encouraged many shoppers to consider used items before purchasing something brand new. These platforms allow individuals to sell clothing, electronics, and furniture directly to other consumers, cutting out traditional retail markups entirely. However, buying secondhand carries certain risks, since items cannot always be inspected closely before purchase, and some sellers misrepresent the condition of their products. To address this problem, many platforms now offer buyer protection programs and detailed rating systems for sellers. As trust in these systems continues to grow, ___________.

Team sports place athletes in a uniquely social form of competition, one where individual skill alone rarely determines the outcome of a match. (A) Sports psychologists have long studied why some groups of talented individual players fail to perform as a cohesive unit while other, less individually skilled teams consistently exceed expectations. (B) Trust among teammates appears to be a decisive factor, since players who believe their teammates will reliably fulfill their roles are more willing to take the calculated risks that winning often requires. (C) Clear and consistent communication during high-pressure moments further reduces the hesitation and confusion that can unravel a team's coordination in front of a crowd.

Pets need extra care and attention when the summer heat becomes intense. (A) It is also important to avoid walking your dog during the hottest hours, since hot pavement can burn its paws. (B) First, always provide plenty of fresh, cool water throughout the day. (C) Most importantly, never leave a pet alone in a parked car, even for a few minutes.

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.

Loss aversion does not only influence individual financial choices; it also shapes how information is presented and interpreted in everyday transactions, a phenomenon that marketers and policymakers have learned to exploit deliberately. (A) For example, a retailer who frames a price reduction as "avoid losing a $10 discount by ordering today" typically generates a stronger customer response than one who simply advertises "get a $10 discount," even though both messages describe an identical saving. (B) In other words, the manner in which a choice is presented can activate the same psychological aversion to loss that governs decisions about resources already possessed, meaning that framing itself carries real economic weight. (C) This effect is not confined to retail settings, however; negotiators, too, often treat concessions as losses rather than as steps toward mutual gain, which makes compromise feel more costly than it objectively is.