Ⅰ.阅读理解
Raised by a single mother in Hartford, Fred Wright struggled with behavioral problems and was forced to move from one school to another. He even reached a point where he felt like he had nothing to live for.
“I was walking around with a lot on my shoulders，”he said.“I couldn't handle it. I didn't care about life anymore.”But all that started to change when Wright met Patricia Kelly.
“I was seven when I met Mrs Kelly.I wasn't used to strictness. I wasn't used to hearing the word ‘no’，”said Wright, now 17.
Kelly, a former soldier and an equestrian (骑手), took Wright under her wing and helped him find hope in an unlikely place — on a horse.
“Wright was like a round peg that everybody kept trying to squeeze into a square hole，”Kelly said.“He was hurting. He needed a place where he could express himself. The riding field became that place for him.”
For the last 30 years, Kelly has helped children stay on the right track through her nonprofit, Ebony Horsewomen. The program offers horseback riding lessons and teaches animal science to more than 300 young people a year. By exposing those children to horsemanship, Kelly aims to give them an alternative to the streets and an opportunity to turn their lives around.
“We use horses as a hook to create pride, esteem and healing，”said Kelly, 66.“They learn that they have ability. They just have to unlock it.”
“When you teach a child to ride a horse, they learn they are the center of their environment，”said Kelly.“Once they make that connection, they can change what happens in school, at home and in the community.”
语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了 Kelly 的 Ebony Horsewomen 组织帮助那些表现不好的孩子成长的故事。
1．Why did Fred Wright have to move from one school to another?
A．Because his mother couldn't afford the fees.
B．Because his parents got divorced.
C．Because he behaved badly at school.
D．Because he didn't set a life goal.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第一段第一句中的“Fred Wright struggled with behavioral problems and was forced to move from one school to another”可知，Fred Wright 因在学校表现不好才被迫从一所学校转到另一所学校。故选C。
2．How did Patricia Kelly help Fred Wright?
A．She provided him with a home.
B．She encouraged him to learn science.
C．She exposed him to the riding field.
D．She found him a better school.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第四段“Kelly, a former soldier ... on a horse.”以及第五段最后一句中的“The riding field”可知，Kelly教 Wright 骑马，让 Wright 在骑马的过程中重获对生活的希望。故选C。
3．What do we know about the program Ebony Horsewomen?
A．It is intended to make money.
B．It was founded by Patricia Kelly.
C．It aims to protect the environment.
D．It serves as a shelter for homeless kids.
解析：选B 推理判断题。根据第六段第一句“For the last 30 years, Kelly ... through her nonprofit，Ebony Horsewomen.”可知，在过去的30年里，Kelly 已经通过她创办的非营利组织Ebony Horsewomen 帮助孩子们走上了正确的道路。故选B。
4．What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A．Horse riding is helpful to the growth of kids.
B．Patricia Kelly is a very successful woman.
C．Horses are closely related to the environment.
D．It is hard for a kid to learn to ride a horse.
解析：选A 推理判断题。根据文章最后两段内容可知，Kelly建立的 Ebony Horsewomen 组织把马作为创造骄傲、自尊的方法和治疗的手段，让孩子们意识到他们有能力，只是需要被发掘出来。由此可推知，骑马对孩子们的成长有帮助。故选A。
