1 . There are many great independent bookstores in North Carolina. If you’re looking for some good books to read, you can visit the bookstores listed below.

Purple Crow Books

It’s a literary meeting place right in historic downtown Hillsborough. It was opened in 2009. You can find new books, used ones or the latest works by local authors. Because it specializes in local writers, Purple Crow Books is a favorite tourist destination. It’s a great place to grab a signed copy of a book by your favorite local author.

109 West King Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Quail Ridge Books

This is an independent bookstore with friendly staff dedicated to (致力于) providing the best customer service. Founded in 1984 by Nancy Olson, the store provides a wide variety of carefully selected books, events, discussion groups and town hall meetings. The owner Lisa Poole bought the store in 2013 and is dedicated to serving the locals.

4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27609

Pomegranate Books

This bookstore is located in the historic Borkenhagen House in the Winter Park neighborhood of Wilmington, North Carolina. It has been finding good homes for great books since 2005. It stocks a carefully selected collection of literary and life-enhancing titles for all ages and also features locally-made cards and gift items.

4418 Park Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403

Scuppernong Books

This bookstore was opened on December 21, 2013 and has been an important part of the rebirth of downtown Greensboro ever since. It features fiction and poetry along with a remarkable children’s section and a broad range of general interest titles. Within the store is a busy cafe serving coffee, wine, and beer sourced primarily from local small businesses.

304 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401

1. What is special about Purple Crow Books?

A．It holds various reading activities.	B．It mainly sells books by local writers.
C．It focuses on selling second-hand books.	D．It is supported by local small businesses.

2. Which bookstore has the longest history?

A．Quail Ridge Books.	B．Purple Crow Books.
C．Pomegranate Books.	D．Scuppernong Books.

3. Who would prefer to visit Scuppernong Books?

A．People loving non-fiction books.	B．People liking handmade cards and gifts.
C．People enjoying a very quiet environment.	D．People fond of buying collections of poetry.

2 . Maximalism, as a design aesthetic (审美), is rooted in cultural shifts throughout history. In the mid-20th century, minimalism dominated social aesthetic, which laid great emphasis on the idea of less was more. In the late 1960s, postmodernism challenged the ideas of minimalism and embraced a more playful approach to design.     1     During the 1980s, maximalism reached its peak and continued to evolve in the following decades.

Today, maximalism has become a noticeable design style characterized by celebrating individuality,embracing the unexpected, and creating st unning and expressive spaces.     2     They hold that maximalism can make homes blossom into spaces that radiate with warmth and joy, and reflect the personalities and tastes of everyone in the house.

    3    Even hallways can be turned into gallery-like spaces with unique art collections, vibrant wall coverings that enhance visual impact. Mirrors, if strategically placed, can add to the pleasant feel of a space that could otherwise be a boring passage.

The living room unfolds with patterns and decor items, creating a dynamic and cozy atmosphere which is all about individuality and comfort.     4     A combination of decoration items such as sculptures, vases, and books are also on display.

Breaking free from regular kitchen aesthetics, maximalism transforms kitchens into exciting and inspiring environments. Using unexpected kitchen lighting options can add some home atmosphere.    5    

As an interior (室内的) stylist, I encourage you to get the best from your home and the possessions you already have by displaying what you love most. This will spark joy everywhere you look, and this concept is at the heart of maximalism.

A．Delicate table lamps may work well.

B．Your home should be a celebration of all you are.

C．Many interior designers are advocates of maximalism.

D．Maximalism breathes life into often-overlooked corners.

E．You can find a variety of ways to bring it into your home, too.

F．Maximalism emerged as a reaction against the idea of simplicity.

G．There is a mix of different patterns through throw pillows and curtains.

3 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. Who felt sad about the news in the paper?

A．Susan.

B．Susan’s grandpa.

C．Nat Baker.

2. Why have the plans for the community center been postponed?

A．The senior citizens don’t like the idea.

B．People prefer the old library.

C．There is short of money.

3. What does Grandpa think of the old community center on Elm Street?

A．It isn’t well-equipped.

B．It isn’t suitable for the old.

C．It is very big.

4 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. What do we know about Richard and Wendy?

A．They are new to this neighborhood.

B．They are living where Janet once lived.

C．They are friends of Janet’s husband.

2. Who are the Thompsons?

A．Janet’s old landlord.

B．Richard’s friends.

C．Janet’s old neighbors.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman intend to do?

A．Get photos digitized.

B．Develop some photos.

C．Beautify the photos.

2. How much does the woman need to pay?

A．$200.

B．$100.

C．$50.

3. Why is a cardboard box recommended?

A．It is lighter.

B．It is cheaper.

C．It is stronger.

6 . When it comes to a public library, you usually think of books and computers for people to use. You can even think of educational lectures and concerts that are often held in the library. But few people would expect to have a farm in the library.

But why not? After all, with rising costs, food safety is a community-wide issue. The Cicero Public Library near Syracuse in New York solved this problem by building a farm on its land. When Meg Backus saw all the open space in the library across the street from the building, he realized it could be used to benefit the community.

The farm was created in 2011 and in the beginning, 40 members of the library brought seeds (种子), water, and supplies to see if they could grow food on the land. It turned out that they could. To get the needed supplies for a larger farm, the library began to work with the organization Syracuse Grows Agency.

The community farm donates (捐赠) over 200 pounds of fresh produce (农产品) to local food banks every year. Half of the growing area is used as the Food Educational Garden. The other half is used by growers themselves. During the year, there are educational programs held at the library to teach people how to garden. There are also a lot of gardening books that can be used at the library.

Lauren Rosenstein, a worker of the library, said that she felt like she was giving something back to the community. “You’re really making a difference as a local community because you’re growing the food that people are eating.”

1. Why did Meg Backus build the farm?

A．To earn money.

B．To attract more readers.

C．To improve food safety.

D．To teach readers how to grow food.

2. How did the 40 members feel at first?

A．Doubtful.

B．Stressed.

C．Hopeless.

D．Confident.

3. What are educational programs held at the library mainly about?

A．Farmers’ life.

B．Food donation.

C．Gardening skills.

D．Food banks.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Make a Farm Popular	B．Turn a Library into a Farm
C．Meet the First Library Farm	D．Find a Job on a Library Farm

7 . As much as I love the rides in theme parks, my favorite part of the experience is the live entertainment. Whether it’s a parade, stage show, “streetmosphere”, or even an impressive nighttime show, I just love the energy that a live performance can bring to a space. It is not uncommon for me to visit a theme park and go on one ride and spend the rest of the time just enjoying the atmosphere.

No matter how many times I ride an attraction, I’m having the same experience. But with live entertainment, it constantly changes. Different performers bring their own touch to the show. Even when things go wrong in a live situation, I find it fascinating to see how it is covered. There is an impressive art to fixing an error, or sometimes even making it a comedic moment.

But because these live performances aren’t bolted (固定) to the ground and are easily influenced, they are often the first thing to get removed from the parks when there is a shortage of money. As much as I understand this business decision, it feels shortsighted. The parks simply don’t feel alive when live entertainment is missing. Without it, a theme park is just a group of people walking quickly from one ride to the next.

We are certainly living in an unprecedented time, but I’m happy to see that theme parks have found creative ways to make sure there is some sort of live entertainment put on safe. Most parks are having their characters and performances visible from a distance.

One of my favorite examples of this was shared by @Attractions on Twitter, where Winnie the Pooh was frolicking around Epcot and trying to catch a butterfly. This is such a great example of what can be done with characters and live entertainers in a time when the “norm” isn’t possible, I honestly hope that these special moments remain once it’s safe for the meet-and-greets and close-up interactions to return.

1. What does the author like best in a theme park?

A．Joining its parades.	B．Observing its visitors.
C．Trying its various rides.	D．Enjoying its live shows.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The error.

B．The show.

C．The reason.

D．The attention.

3. What does the author think of the business decision in paragraph 3?

A．It will bring theme parks more business.

B．It will make theme parks easily influenced

C．It will make theme park rides more popular.

D．It will take away the liveliness of theme parks.

4. Why does the author mention Winnie the Pooh?

A．To explain what theme parks can do to stay

B．To show its popularity among theme park visitors.

C．To explain what characters can do to get closer to visitors.

D．To show the influence special times can have on theme park.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Where is Last Days of the Raj located?

A．In India.

B．In the UK.

C．In the US.

2. What food does the speaker suggest in A Taste of Tuscany?

A．Seafood.

B．Chicken.

C．Chips.

3. What does the speaker say about Cheesy Bites?

A．It has attractive surroundings.

B．It provides nothing but cheese.

C．It serves dishes in super-quick time.

9 . In 1670, two Scottish doctors set up a garden in the city of Edinburgh to find out connections between plants and medicine. That first garden wasn’t very big — about the size of a tennis court. Fast-forward 350 years, and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) now covers an area bigger than 1,000 tennis courts. The RBGE’s goal is to “explore, conserve and explain the world of plants for a better future”.

After doctors and distant cousins Robert Sibbald and Andrew Balfour graduated from university in the mid-17th century, they shared the goal of improving Scottish medicine by looking into botanical (plant-related) research. They found some land near Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh and started to collect plants. They taught students how to grow exotic (外来的) plants and use them to make medicines. As the collection expanded (增加), the garden moved to different sites, including what is now Edinburgh’s Waverley Station.

In 1823, the garden was moved to its current location in Inverleith, a suburb of Edinburgh. It took three years to move the collection of plants and trees using specially built machines. The Tropical Palm House was built in 1834, and it was joined by the larger Temperate Palm House in 1858. Both are still popular with visitors. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the RBGE continued to search for new specimens (标本) from around the world.

The RBGE has about 13,500 species of living plants in its collection today. The herbarium — a collection of dried and protected species — includes more than three million plant samples, which represent more than half of the world’s known plants. The oldest specimen dates back to 1697. Experts continue to recognize new species each year, as well as growing plants that are extinct in their own habitats. The RBGE also works with botanical gardens around the world, including in Africa and South America, and supports them with conservation projects, education and training.

1. Why did Robert and Andrew build up the garden?

A．To teach people some knowledge about exotic plants.

B．To do research on plants and medicine.

C．To protect endangered wildlife.

D．To practice their tennis skills.

2. When was the Tropical Palm House set up?

A．In the mid-17th century.	B．In the 20th century.
C．In1834.	D．In1858.

3. What do we know about the RBGE?

A．It has made achievements in growing extinct plants.

B．It has collected less than half of all known plants.

C．It is going to expand its sites in other countries.

D．It collects native plants only.

4. What is this text mainly about?

A．How the RBGE has expanded.	B．The progress of saving endangered plants.
C．Why a botanic garden was built.	D．An introduction to the RBGE.

10 . 假定你是生活在2120年的李华，请给现在的你写一封信介绍一下你居住的房子及其优点。
注意：词数80左右。
参考词汇：eco-friendly环保的
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