1 . We know that keeping an organized space is a key factor in overall mental well-being. So, how to tackle a big decluttering project?

    1    

Much like closing down a restaurant or retail store for the night, have a routine for the end of your day that involves some easy, satisfying tasks. Maybe it’s having the coffee pot clean and ready to help you wake up in the morning.

Notice your “problem” spots

Pay attention to areas in your home that constantly demand attention, like the bathroom shelf that always overflows with products.     2    . Notice what is taking up most of your attention, and then brainstorm easy solutions that can catch the issue before it gets too big.

Set a timer

Five, eight, ten, or twenty minutes are all acceptable amounts of time to spend chipping away at an untidy area in your home. Progress is progress, whether it’s regular or one-and-done.     3    . A decluttering project does not have to be finished in a day!

Get help

    4    . Define a specific job to take on, like clearing out a closet or dresser drawer, and bring in someone who will support you emotionally and even make it fun time together.

Embrace the physical activity

Maybe you are struggling to fit a regular workout into your routine. Lean into the physical aspect of clutter-clearing to feel like you’re meeting two goals at once by relocating books or bringing clothes to the donation bin.     5     — celebrate yourself for getting moving while you clean up.

A．Make cleaning an easy habit

B．Hire a home organizing professional

C．Even washing the dishes is a physical activity

D．Be patient with the big picture of your clutter-clearing needs

E．Don’t ignore the snack packages that never make it to the trash can

F．You do not have to be alone in your journey toward a clean home

G．You’ll feel fulfilled when you have a completely clutter-free existence

2 . Ideally located in the heart of New York Times Square, Yotel New York, a five-star hotel, has comfortable accommodation in a modern design.

The hotel has convenient transportation with an 18-minute walk from Fifth Avenue and Grand Central Station. John F Kennedy Airport can be reached directly from Times Square Underground Station.

All rooms include cozy beds, 54-inch HD TVs with free Sports and Movie channels, and free Wi-Fi. Each room also has luggage storage, and hanging space for clothing. Yotel New York also offers wheelchair accessible rooms and free accommodation for kids under 13.

American breakfast is served in Yotel New York every morning, including fresh juice, corn flakes, buttered toast and scrambled eggs. A selection of salads, sandwiches and hot dishes are offered throughout the day.

Yotel New York is our guests’ favorite part of New York, according to independent reviews. This area is also great for shopping, with popular brands nearby: Apple, H&M, Zara, Burberry and Channel.

Yotel New York is rated for the best value in America! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other hotels in this city. Come and stay with us!

Prices:

Room type	Price	Options
Twin Room — non-smoking	$125	Non-refundable Good breakfast $9
Double room — non-smoking	$165	Non-refundable Good breakfast $9
Queen Room — disability access	$215	Pay at the hotel Good breakfast included

1. What probably makes a tourist choose this hotel?

A．Airport pick-up service.	B．Chinese-style breakfast.
C．Good value for guests’ money.	D．A shop with popular brands in the hotel.

2. If a person in a wheelchair wants to stay in this hotel for two nights, how much should he pay?

A．$ 259.

B．$ 339.

C．$ 421.

D．$ 430.

3. In which section of the newspaper will readers see the above information?

A．Advertisement.

B．Lifestyle.

C．Entertainment.

D．Business.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What will the woman do after the interview?

A．Advertise the garden.

B．Visit the man’s garden.

C．Write for a newspaper.

2. What firstly made the man show an interest in gardening?

A．Being gifted plants by friends.

B．Reading about gardening in 1980.

C．Visiting Kew Gardens frequently.

3. Where did Mr. Whinfield learn a lot about gardening?

A．From gardening classes.

B．From visiting Kew Gardens.

C．From reading gardening books.

4. What did the man’s first garden look like?

A．It was a tiny piece of land.

B．It was filled with wildflower.

C．It was located in West London.

4 . 4 Really Strange Beaches

Sandy stretches of gray, brown or even white are the world’s norm. Even rocky beaches or those with sheer cliffs barring passage for everyone save the bravest adventurers are not rare. These unique beaches are some of the best treats nature has to offer.

Papakolea Beach, Hawaii, USA

Papakōlea Beach is a green sand beach located near South Point, in the Ka’ū district of the island of Hawai ’i. One of only two green sand beaches in the World, the other being in Galapagos Islands.

Papakōlea Beach is associated with the southwest rift (裂谷) of Mauna Loa. Since its last eruption, the cinder cone has partially collapsed and been partially swallowed by the ocean.

San Alfonso del Mar Beach, Chile

This beach is located between the largest artificial pool. San Alfonso del Mar Beach is an essential part of the luxurious resort of the same name.

It seems a strange spot for the world’s largest swimming pool. But the pool’s remarkable spaciousness (宽敞) complements the ocean beyond rather effortlessly, and jumping in the pool’s 79℉(26℃) water is a much more attractive prospect than venturing into the 63℉(17℃) seawater nearby.

Maho Beach, Sint Maarten

Maho Beach is a beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. It is famous for the Princess Juliana International Airport next to the beach.

Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of Runway 10 due to the short runway length of 380 metres, resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at minimal altitude.

Ocean Dome, Japan

This is an artificial beach constructed in the Seagaia re son along the coastal highway outside the city of Myazaki in Japan it has a fully controlled indoor climate throughout the year.

The Ocean Dome, which was a popular part of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort, measures 300 meters in length and 100 meters in width.

1. What has Papakōlea Beach experienced in Hawaii?

A．One mineral.	B．One connection.
C．One fierce rift.	D．One severe outbreak.

2. What’s the most exciting in San Alfonso del Mar Beach, Chile?

A．Jumping into the pool’s water

B．Learning to jump water in the pool

C．Building a spacious swimming pool

D．Taking a risk of swimming in the pool

3. What do Maho Beach and Ocean Dome have in common?

A．They lie beside good places built.	B．They both lie on an island.
C．They are both artificial beaches.	D．They are both well-known.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Where will Annabel’s husband work this year?

A．In Queens.

B．In Brooklyn.

C．In Manhattan.

2. What does Jerry think of the neighborhood?

A．Quite noisy.

B．Very inconvenient.

C．Generally quiet.

3. What do we know about Annabel?

A．She has a dog.

B．She lives with her family.

C．She will teach in St. John’s University.

6 . In Takoma Park, Maryland, in suburban Washington, people, adults or students, lined up at a pay phone outside a restaurant several times a week.

“Once I put the phone out there, it just took off,” said David Schulman, a Takoma Park violinist who created the Bird Calls Phone. Listeners push 1 to hear a yellow-crowned night heron (夜鹭), 7 to hear a pileated (红冠) woodpecker’s call and 9 for the distinct scream of a red-tailed hawk. Instructions about how to use the phone are in three languages: English, Spanish and Amharic — a reflection of Takoma Park’s Ethiopian community. In all, 10 birds native to the Takoma Park area are featured.

In addition to being fun, listening to Bird songs can reduce stress and anxiety, studies show. Even hearing recordings of birds can relieve negative emotions.

After noticing an abandoned, nonworking pay phone in town, Schulman wondered if he could turn it into something appealing. He said, “I really like the old technology of just picking up a receiver, pressing one button and having something happen.” Schulman thought bringing birds sounds to the abandoned phone was a way to add a bit of nature to the neighborhood.

Takoma Park city officials agreed, and they budgeted $5, 000 to complete the project. Schulman reached out to The McCaulay Library in Ithaca, New York, which agreed to send him a few dozen recordings of native birds. He then managed to gain the help of software engineer and artist Branden Hall to rewire the phone to play different bird calls. Schulman said he persuaded several of his friends to record short descriptions of each bird to go with the calls.

“One thing I like about the Bird Calls Phone is that it’s the opposite of a loud broadcast,” Schulman said. “Only one person can listen at a time, and each person will take away their own unique experience.”

1. What will listeners hear if they press buttons on the pay phone?

A．The calls of native birds.	B．Songs in different languages.
C．Descriptions of local creatures.	D．Instructions on reducing stress.

2. Which of the following best describes David Schulman?

A．Observant and nature-loving.	B．Diligent and easy-going.
C．Serious and public-spirited.	D．Ambitious and kind-hearted.

3. What can be inferred about the project?

A．It encourages art appreciation.	B．It presents the harmony among birds.
C．It turns loud broadcasts into private phones.	D．It receives broad support from the community.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Violinist Specializes in Ecology	B．Pick up the Phone, Hear Bird songs
C．Close to Nature, Far From Depression	D．Turn Trash into Treasure in Washington

7 . Lighting is a key design feature in your home and deserves consideration, whether it’s to brighten up a dull corner or you’re planning a full renovation (翻新). Here, we put the spotlight on four key lighting design layers and how you can use them to capture every room of your home in its best light.

General lighting

Think of general lighting as the background layer that casts an even illumination (照明) throughout a room, most commonly from your ceiling lights. As these are often the main source of light for a room, it’s wise to have flexible options depending on the time of day, or desired brightness to suit the mood and the room’s purpose at the time.

Ambient (氛围的) lighting

Ambient lighting is the layer that adds warmth and softness to your space. Think lamp belt under the kitchen bench, or floor lamps in the corner. Use ambient lighting where you want to encourage rest and comfort, such as living spaces and bedrooms.

Task lighting

The next layer to consider is task lighting for more practical uses. These are brighter and are designed to illuminate workplaces, and are also used for study areas, home offices, bedside tables and reading corners.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting is placed to create a specific light effect, such as downlights or spotlights to highlight artwork, and wash lights against walls. The layering of accent lighting can be used to highlight architectural details and is an artful way to create focus and play with light in your space.

1. What is the major function of general lighting?

A．Brightening a dark corner.	B．Refreshing the surroundings.
C．Lighting up the entire room.	D．Adding warmth and softness.

2. Where is task lighting usually placed?

A．Beside the study table.	B．Under the kitchen bench.
C．In the middle of the ceiling.	D．On the wall of the hallway.

3. Which lighting can highlight a focus artfully?

A．General lighting	B．Ambient lighting.
C．Task lighting	D．Accent lighting.

8 .

A．A fridge.

B．An electric cooker.

C．Laundry machines.

D．Dishes.

9 . Some of the classrooms at Taft Elementary in Santa Clara, California, have one flaw (缺陷) in common: They don’t have _________.

“Most of the day, the students are _________. And they don’t really get to see any trees, or the blue sky,” said Ernesto Rodriguez, a school psychologist with a _________ for landscape photography. “The lack of windows does affect kids, making it _________ to concentrate. Being in and around nature _________ anxiety and has benefits for students. Kids who have _________ out of windows do better academically, emotionally and creatively.”

He had an _________ to bring nature into rooms by developing hospital curtains that he could print landscapes onto as a _________ to brighten dull rooms. Then, he brought landscapes into classrooms—via the ceiling.

Rodriguez uses his photography skills to take 360 degree shots of tree canopies (树冠). Then he _________ them and fits them onto the ceiling, so when you __________, it feels like you’re sitting under a tree. “It has all those elements of the science that help calm you down, help you __________ and communicate. Kids will want to come in more __________,” he said.

“It’s surprising to __________ that there are trees here,” one student said as she entered the room and saw the __________ addition. “I would say that it’s pretty great and beautiful. Trees bring me peace.”

“This is a __________ of both my careers as a school psychologist and a photographer,” said Rodriguez.

1.

A．trees.

B．ceilings

C．windows

D．photos

2.

A．inside

B．outside

C．downstairs

D．upstairs

3.

A．demand

B．concern

C．dream

D．passion

4.

A．hard

B．useless

C．necessary

D．endless

5.

A．connects

B．eases

C．causes

D．increases

6.

A．time

B．access

C．thoughts

D．views

7.

A．idea

B．approval

C．opinion

D．impression

8.

A．guide

B．way

C．reason

D．proposal

9.

A．collects

B．grades

C．prints

D．cuts

10.

A．get out

B．get up

C．look out

D．look up

11.

A．play

B．eat

C．focus

D．breathe

12.

A．frequently

B．quickly

C．comfortably

D．normally

13.

A．confirm

B．see

C．fancy

D．forget

14.

A．familiar

B．confusing

C．new

D．usual

15.

A．characteristic

B．combination

C．balance

D．foundation

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Why will the shopping mall make a change to the cafe?

A．To offer more dishes.

B．To make it more comfortable.

C．To provide room for more customers.

2. How should shoppers book the "personal shopper" service?

A．By filling in a form online.

B．By going and visiting the store.

C．By calling the information desk.

3. What is the second cooking class about?

A．Keeping food fresh.

B．Making instant meals.

C．Learning about safety rules.