1 . Slowly but surely, offices are beginning to reopen. That means, the work-from-home lifestyle may be coming to a close. Why not spice it up a bit for this last stretch of flexible living and book a killer vacation rental? Here are 4 rentals perfect for you.

San Antonio, Texas

Head deep into the heart of Texas for an enjoyable work-from-home experience at this 3-bedroom Lavaca cottage. And you’ll find a fully private backyard that is perfect for the little ones. The house on its own is excellent, but what is close to downtown San Antonia is like a cherry on top.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Set out for beautiful California and book this beach retreat. You’ll have both the beach and town within walking distance. Charming Carmel has world-class restaurants, art galleries and wine tasting rooms. The beloved treat shop is sure to get your kids on their best behavior!

Scottsdale, Arizona

With over 300 days of sunshine and boundless outdoor activities, Arizona is an outdoor heaven for all ages. Book this massive 5-bedroom desert house, and spend days hiking. Then cool off back at home in your private pool overlooking the mountains. If you’re working from home, you can soak in some pretty evenings and desert sunsets. When you’re not enjoying a barbecue in the backyard, walk into Scottsdale’s modern downtown district for dinner.

The Catskills, New York

Surround yourself with nature while you work-from-home at this quiet and private, 4-acre red cottage in the Catskills region. The charming 2-bedroom house has a huge industrial kitchen, private hot tub and a barbecue. When you have to go back to civilization, the lovable mountain town of Woodstock is just 10 minutes away.

1. Which of the following best suits people who are art lovers?

A．San Antonio.

B．Carmel-by-the-Sea.

C．Scottsdale.

D．The Catskills.

2. What do we know about Scottsdale?

A．It is a good place for outdoor sports.	B．It has few sunny days.
C．It has wine tasting rooms.	D．It is a lovable seaside town.

3. What do the four rentals have in common?

A．They have a private backyard.	B．They are close to the beach.
C．They provide a barbecue.	D．They are near the town or downtown.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage,     1     (locate) by the Blossom Bathing Brook of Chengdu City, is the former residence of Du Fu, a great poet of Tang Dynasty of China. In the winter of AD 759, Du Fu and his family     2     (flee) to Chengdu in order to seek refuge from the “Rebellion of An Lushan and Shi Siming”. Beside the beautiful Blossom Bathing Brook, he built a thatched cottage named “Chengdu Thatched Cottage”,     3     he lived for nearly 4 years.     4     all the poems he wrote there, more than 240 are still read. These monumental poems endow the Cottage with profound cultural significance,     5     (make) it a sacred land in the history of Chinese Literature.

Covering an area of 190,000 square meters, the Cottage is the biggest, best preserved and     6     (distinctive) relic in memory of Du Fu in China. In the center of the hall, a bronze statue of Du Fu, made by Liu Kaiqu, a famous sculptor of our country,     7     (place) in the center of the hall.

Chinese critics from the Song Dynasty referred to Du Fu     8     the “poet-historian”. Both before and after the An Lushan Rebellion. Du Fu witnessed a typical political and social situation. The common people still lived in     9     (poor) while the emperor and his top officials enjoyed a foolishly luxurious life. He composed many poems such as “Song of the War Chariots”, “Three Officials”, and “Three Departures”.     10     he expressed in his poems are the dissatisfaction with the government and his great pity for the common people.

3 . Weaving down a steep slope, snowboarder Zhang Xu skied gracefully to a stop in a shower of white powder—one of a new generation of Chinese people learning winter sports in new indoor facilities. “I fell in love with the sport,” said 25-year-old Zhang, who started coming to the Sunac Snow Centre in Chengdu in July, the same month it opened. “Skiing used to be a relatively small sport in China but now it’s more popular, and the credit for that is down to the Winter Olympics.”

The 2022 Beijing Winter Games have caused a rapid increase in construction of snow resorts(胜地); their numbers have rocketed nearly fourfold, fueled by demand from China’s middle class. Nearly 21 million people visited one last year, as the ability to spend more on leisure activities grows—average national income has increased four times over the last two decades.

In provinces such as southwestern Sichuan, known for its hot and humid summers, there are plenty of mountains but little snow, so the best way for locals to learn to ski is inside. “We are the first indoor ski resort in southwest China,” said Liu Jia, manager of the Sunac Snow Centre. At 80, 800 square meters, the snow park is the largest of its kind in the world—though one in Shanghai, scheduled to open in the next 18 months, could make that seem unimportant by comparison.

China has grand plans for this growing interest—it has previously said it wants to put 10 percent of the world’s most large number of people on skis ahead of the 2022 Games. That’s a figure so large that it would double the current global record of skiers.

1. Why was Zhang Xu mentioned at the first paragraph?

A．To encourage skiing.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To provide an example.	D．To make a comparison.

2. What made it possible for the development of snow resorts?

A．The increasing population.	B．The competition to host Olympics.
C．The improvement of construction.	D．The ability to spend more on leisure activities.

3. What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The manager.	B．Sichuan province.
C．Sunac Snow Centre.	D．Ski resort in Shanghai.

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

A．The largest indoor ski resort in the world.	B．How to develop people’s interest in skiing.
C．The preparations for 2022 Beijing Winter Games.	D．Winter Olympics inspires skiing construction in China.

4 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Shanghai Disneyland, Zhejiang's Hello Kitty Park and Dalian Discoveryland Theme Park are on the list,     1     grows quickly. Theme parks are becoming big business in China. China Wanda Group has built     2     (it) 11th “Cultural Tourism City" in Guilin, Guangxi. Carnival Group is planning     3     (build) ten more theme parks in China. And Dalian Haichang Group also wants to open four theme parks in the     4     (follow) five years.

China now has 300 theme parks or so nationwide. However, modern entertainment     5     (center) for family visits are still in short supply in many cities, so     6     number of large theme parks in China will still be     7     the increase. US-based company AECOM believes China will replace America to become the largest theme park market, having 221 million visits every year, twice as many as those in 2015.

But the industry is not     8     (universal) good. 70 percent of theme parks in China     9     (suffer) economic losses at the moment and 20 percent of them have nearly gone broke, according to a survey     10     (make) by Qianzhan Industry Research Institute,

5 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Around 5 months ago, I moved into my new home in France. Since then, I     1     (walk) around my garden, happily lost among the     2     (energy) plants. Never have I felt luckier.

I was absolutely at the beginning of understanding how my garden works. I spent most of the first few months     3     (find) out the plants’ names. I often uploaded photos to Plantent. I collected basic     4     (fact) about different species. But as the months continued, the strong wish     5     (care) what they were called gradually dropped, and I cared more to watch how they live. People told me there was a second spring down here.

Now I devote myself to it. All is changing how I think,     6     the ways I don’t really understand. When I am not in my garden, my attention     7     (draw) to the plants from my desk as I sit on the latest video call. Most of these are conversations about     8     comes next for sustainable (可持续的) plants. I can’t help thinking of     9     recently popular term — regenerative (可再生的) tourism. After looking them up in the dictionary, I find they have something in common.     10     (delighted), I have got it.

6 . 21 Spoons is a restaurant aimed at bringing back the appeal of intimate (亲密的) dining. “This restaurant kind of fell into my lap,” says chef and owner Ann Butler, “I own the cooking school next door to it, and this space was empty for quite some time, and it seemed to be saying, ‘Do you want me?’”

After working in Fairfax and Chesterfield public schools, Butler started her cooking school, Edible Education, 12 years ago, hoping to change the dietary habits of kids.

The occurrence of the pandemic halted Butler’s cooking classes, as students were unable to attend in person. “We didn’t have any kids taking classes,” she says. “I didn’t know how long it’d be before we saw students again, so I thought, we got to do something.” So, Butler opened 21 Spoons in March of 2021, focused on small plates and shared bites from ratatouille flatbread to deep-fried deviled eggs.

“I took it over at a time when everyone was closing their restaurants in Richmond,” Butler says. This allowed her to start her new business in a way that made people feel more at ease during such a stressful time. Butler says the service and size of the restaurant-24 seats are what make people feel more comfortable and what allow them to open during the pandemic. “We opened during a time when everyone was scared, so we wanted to build a space where you could come and rest, back to old-school, old-fashioned service.”

Butler says the architectural plat (建筑区) for the space was unit 20. “I saw somewhere that a chef has 39 spoons,” she says, “and it was unit 20, so I thought, ‘How about 21Spoons?’ since we opened in 2021.”

While Butler says there’ll be no 22 Spoons, she describes 21 Spoons as a “creative gift”, allowing her to combine passions and build something beautiful for the community.

1. What does the underlined word “halted” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Stopped.

B．Improved.

C．Added.

D．Reduced.

2. Which word best describes the atmosphere of eating in 21 Spoons?

A．Amazing.

B．Inspiring.

C．Relaxing.

D．Touching.

3. Why is unit 20 mentioned in the text?

A．It is where the restaurant is currently located.

B．It started Butler’s passion for the food industry.

C．It is associated with the menu of the restaurant.

D．It offered inspiration for naming the restaurant.

4. In which section of a website can we probably read the text?

A．History and education.	B．Food and drink.
C．Art and music.	D．Shopping and style.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the woman's family move to Canada?

A．Because she wanted to study there.

B．Because her mother went to work there.

C．Because her father got a better job there.

2. Where did the woman first meet Rebecca?

A．On a bus.

B．In the classroom.

C．At the basketball club.

3. What does the woman miss most about Canada?

A．The lifestyle.

B．The people.

C．The space.

8 . Certainly, India is popular in the world for its cultures. It has some museums that are worth visiting.

International Doll Museum

Yes, the museum is claimed to be the best museum in the eyes of its audience in the country. For the popularity, every Indian kid wants to visit it at least once in his/her lifetime. Sure, there are so many collections of the doll from traditional to modern ones. I also displays typical dolls from various cultures worldwide. It opens every day except Monday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Paldi Kite Museum

Have you ever played a kite in your childhood? Kites are more than just toys to play with. They are pieces of art that motivate people to conduct competitions. Hundreds of kites with unique designs and various shapes are displayed in the museum. Besides, visitors can also learn about techniques to fly them. The museum opens 6 days a week and it is closed every Monday. The operational hour is from 10 am to 6 pm.

Indian Museum in Calcutta

The biggest and the oldest museum in India is located in Calcutta, West Bengal. It is simply known as the Indian Museum. The collections are varied with many categories: history, cultures, arts, botany, and more. Sure. for the history lovers, you can visit the history part, where you can watch and enjoy so many artifacts (手工艺品) from Indian ancient kingdoms along with complete descriptions of them. Besides, there are incredible traditional paintings. Most notably, if you think the mummy is only in the Egyptian museum, it is not completely true. The Indian Museum has it as well. The museum opens from 10 am to 5 pm and it is closed every Monday.

Sulabh International Toilet Museum

The museum houses countless toilet collections, starting from the old and ancient toilets to the modern ones. The toilets displayed are coming from 50 countries and the number is predicted to increase. Sure, many of the collections represent the history and cultures of those countries. The museum opens every day from 10: 30 am to 5 pm.

1. Who is International Doll Museum mainly intended for?

A．Students.

B．Children.

C．Adults.

D．Employees.

2. What can visitors specially do in The Indian Museum?

A．Make artifacts.

B．Learn to paint.

C．See the mummy.

D．Grow some plants.

3. If you want to visit a museum on Monday, which would you choose?

A．International Doll Museum.	B．Paldi Kite Museum
C．The Indian Museum.	D．Sulabh International Toilet Museum.

9 . What a Scoop! Readers’ Favorite Ice-Cream Shops

From pear and cheese in Edinburgh to pomegranate ripple at Ventor, our reporters show off the coolest licks.

Mary’s Milk Bar in the Grassmarket is popular with locals and visitors, and is the perfect pit stop for people dashing between fringe festival shows. Flavors change every day, with pear and cheese among the regulars. You can grab your ice and walk up the Vennel Steps for breathtaking views of Edinburgh castle.

Aisha

“Che buono! The best gelato (ice cream) outside Naples!” exclaimed my son’s Italian girlfriend on her first visit to Delphini’s. Giovanni grinned and gave her an extra, free scoop. Every day there’s a queue outside this shop in this progressive south Devon town. Delphini’s gelato is made out of organic local milk and cream. What’s more, it is dairy-free, making it a good option for vegans in Totnes. Flavors change daily and they do free tasting.

Kate

Shepherds Ice Cream Shop in Abergavenny is a Wes Anderson-styled drop-in. It’s all made locally from goat-milk, the business is run by two generations of a family that has some sort of tradition around a golden scoop. Shepherds often pop up with a vintage ice-cream trailer at festivals and events around the UK. It’s my family’s year-round Friday treat.

Alexia Tucker

Crave Ices at Ventnor invents new flavors constantly. Always over 20 choices, plenty of sweet, creamy ones, but also salty, alcoholic and non-dairy delights. Recent highlights include pomegranate ripple, whisky marmalade (over-18s only!). Once I mentioned a flavor I’d enjoyed the previous year. They made some especially for me so I could have it again before I left for home.

Lucy Marder

1. What are the similarities between Mary’s Milk Bar and Delphini’s?

A．They both serve milk-free ice cream.

B．They offer customers a taste for free.

C．They update the menu of ice cream on a daily basis.

D．They set up a great many mobile stands at festivals.

2. What do we know about Shepherds Ice Cream Shop?

A．It is a family-run business with a unique tradition.

B．It’s a must-visit shop for vegetarians.

C．It offers customers lots of choices.

D．It attaches great importance to customers’ feedbacks.

3. Where can you get the ice cream with alcohol?

A．At Mary’s Milk Bar.	B．At Delphini’s.
C．At Shepherds Ice Cream Shop.	D．At Crave Ices.

10 . Stay in style: Europe’s 4 best new design hotels

Casa Cook Samos, Greece

The laid-back island of Samos, birthplace of Pythagoras and, in legend, of the goddess Hera, is the heavenly location for the fourth hotel from Casa Cook. Its low-cost, high-style pads in Greece and Egypt are perfect for the Insta generation. It’s relaxed here, with a yoga salon, a wellness centre, six swimming pools and terraces dotted with earthy-toned daybeds — all set among wild olive trees, agave, pines and palms, echoing the verdant landscapes of this hilly Aegean island.

Doubles from €148 a night, casacook.com

MOB House, Paris, France

This hotel has come up with a new formula — “3-in-1” rooms, incorporating bed, office and meeting room. But even those not “workationing” will find this a fun stay, especially when the organic beerhouse, gym, large garden and 20-metre outdoor pool are taken into account. Trendsetting rooms, painted in sandy and mossy colours, are typical of the team behind the hotel, which includes designer Philippe Starck and Cyril Aouizerate.

Doubles from €200 B&B, mobhouse.com

Hôtel de Cambis, Avignon, France

With an extremely well-stocked wine bar and an “artistic concept based on wine and the French art of living”, the freshly uncorked Hôtel de Cambis is one for wine lovers. It may have the exterior of a grande dame, but inside, the rooms — categorized as millésime, premier cru or grand cru.

Doubles from €130 B&B, hoteldecambis.com

The Baro, southern Finland

Black timber cabins with picture windows are raised on stilts in a pine forest overlooking the sea at this pared-back retreat in the Inkoo region. Guests can explore several large islands, offering beaches, galleries and smart cafes, or just hang out in the black wooden sauna on the beach, go mushroom picking or borrow kayaks.

Doubles from €238 B&B, one under-four can share the room for free, extra beds €50, thebarofiland.com

1. Which hotel is the most appealing to the Insta generation?

A．Casa Cook Samos, Greece.	B．MOB House, Paris, France.
C．Hôtel de Cambis, Avignon.	D．The Baro, southern Finland.

2. What do Casa Cook Samos and MOB House have in common?

A．They are the birthplace of the Goddess of Greek mythology.

B．They both cater to people with fitness needs.

C．They both embody an artistic concept which is based on wine and the French art of living.

D．They are both located in a pine forest.

3. How much does one couple with a 6-year-old child pay at least for staying at The Baro, southern Finland?

A．€130.

B．€200.

C．€238.

D．€288.