영어 모의고사 (자동 편성)

Behavioral economists have long observed that people tend to feel the pain of losing something more intensely than the pleasure of gaining an equivalent amount, a tendency ①known as loss aversion. This asymmetry, which ②was first documented through a series of carefully designed experiments, suggests that the psychological weight of a loss can be roughly twice that of a comparable gain. Consider an investor who refuses to sell a declining stock, ③clings to the hope that its price will eventually recover, even when all available evidence indicates that selling and reinvesting elsewhere would be more rational. Such behavior, though it ④appears irrational from a purely economic standpoint, becomes understandable once we recognize that the investor is trying to avoid the sharp discomfort associated with realizing a loss. Similarly, consumers often demand a much higher price to give up an item they already own than they would be ⑤willing to pay to acquire the same item in the first place.

Consider a student who genuinely intends to study for tomorrow's exam yet, when the evening actually arrives, chooses to ① watch another episode of a favorite show instead, ② promising herself she will surely study harder next week. This pattern, in which the pull of an immediate pleasure overwhelms the value of a distant benefit, ③ appear again and again across ordinary life, from postponed exercise to delayed savings. People do not necessarily fail to understand that the future reward matters more; rather, whatever happens right now simply feels disproportionately more urgent and vivid than anything scheduled for later. Behavioral economists note that this preference weakens considerably once both options are ④ pushed into the future, which is why planning a diet starting next month feels effortless compared with skipping dessert tonight. Such inconsistency helps explain why gym memberships go ⑤ unused and retirement accounts remain underfunded, despite people's stated intentions.

When Daniel was a child, he dreamed of becoming an astronaut, yet he assumed such careers ①belonged only to a handful of government scientists. By the time he entered university, however, the space industry had changed dramatically, as private companies began ②launching satellites and building reusable rockets. Daniel studied aerospace engineering, ③drawing to the idea that space exploration was no longer limited to a few national agencies. During an internship, he helped design a small satellite ④intended to monitor crop health from orbit. He realized that the space industry now needed not only pilots and engineers but also data analysts and technicians ⑤familiar with international space regulations.

On the first day of winter break, my friend Yuna and I sat in a cafe and talked about the new year ahead. Instead of ①making separate plans, we decided to write our goals together on one sheet of paper. Yuna wanted ②improving her English speaking, while I wanted to wake up earlier every morning. We agreed ③to text each other every night to report what we had done that day. Yuna, ④who noticed my short replies, called me instead of just texting. Because we supported each other through difficult moments, both of us ⑤successfully reached our goals by spring.

Willpower is like a muscle that becomes ①tired after being used too much, so people often run out of self-control by the end of a busy day. Many resolutions are unrealistic from the beginning, since people set goals that are far too ②easy to reach in a short time, and when a goal feels impossible, people quickly ③lose motivation and stop trying. Most resolutions do not offer any ④immediate reward, so people find it hard to stay motivated without seeing fast results. Understanding these reasons can help people design goals that are more ⑤realistic and rewarding.

When choosing a future career, students often face a common question: should I follow what I love, or what I am good at? Passion can provide strong motivation, but loving an activity does not always mean a person will become skilled at it professionally. Natural talent can lead to quick success, but without genuine interest, that success may eventually feel empty or exhausting. Career experts suggest ___________ instead of choosing only one side. Finding this balance takes time and self-reflection, but it often leads to a more satisfying and sustainable career.

Sorting your trash correctly is one of the simplest habits that protect our environment. (A) For example, plastic bottles should be rinsed and have their caps removed before being thrown away. Paper soaked with food or oil, however, cannot be recycled and must go into general waste. (B) Likewise, mixing recyclables with ordinary trash makes the whole recycling process complicated. Many students believe that sorting trash takes too much time, but it actually requires only a few extra seconds. Therefore, learning these basic rules now helps you build a habit that benefits your entire community. (C) When you separate paper, plastic, glass, and cans, recycling centers can process each material more efficiently. Sorting garbage is similar to organizing a closet, where each type of clothing has its own shelf. If items are mixed together carelessly, finding what you need later becomes difficult.

Most students only see the final result, a few smooth minutes each morning. Behind that short program, however, broadcasting club members follow a busy daily routine. (A) At exactly eight o'clock, the red light turns on, and the live broadcast begins. During class hours, however, most members return to their regular classroom lessons like everyone else. (B) Members arrive at school thirty minutes earlier than other students to prepare the studio. They check the microphones, the cameras, and the lighting before anyone else arrives. Meanwhile, the script team finalizes the news script that was written the night before. Once everything is ready, the anchors practice their lines one last time. (C) After school, the club meets again to review that morning's recording and discuss any mistakes. Through this daily routine, members slowly learn skills such as teamwork and quick thinking under pressure.

Minji's New Year running plan did not go as smoothly as she had hoped. (A) They discovered that running before sunrise in freezing weather had simply been too hard to keep up. (B) After only a few cold mornings, she began oversleeping and eventually gave up on running altogether. (C) So she decided to run after school instead, and this small change helped her stick to her plan and grow stronger.

Whether or not a goal is motivating often depends on how clear it is. (A) For example, a student who simply decides to study harder often loses direction because the plan is too vague. (B) In contrast, a student who sets a clear goal, such as raising an English score by ten points, knows exactly what to do every day. (C) This is because a clear goal gives the brain an exact target to focus on, which makes progress easy to measure and keeps people motivated.