A
About 15 years ago, Andrew McLindon, a businessman and keen cyclist, was riding his bike in Austin, Texas, when he thought about a friend’s 12-year-old son. The boy had never known the joy of biking because he suffered from hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain that often causes balance disturbances.
When he got home, McLindon, now 60, went online and found a three-wheel recumbent bike with a seat belt, perfect for a child with balance issues. Soon the boy was pedaling around the street with his peers, having fun and getting exercise. But there was more, as McLindon gleaned from his friend's reaction. “To see his son interacting with other kids,” McLindon says. “I’ll never forget the smile on his face.”
That smile launched the McLindon Family Foundation. Funded by donations, the group works with pediatric rehab (小儿科康复）clinics to find children who can benefit from owning an adaptive bike—and to help craft each bike to the particular needs of the child. A bike may include a headrest, a shoulder harness, a seat belt, and a caregiver*s steering and braking mechanism in the back. The bikes are expensive—$3,000 to $4,000, and that’s with the foundation’s steep manufacturer’s discount. For kids lucky enough to get one, they're a life changer.
“We worked with a 14-year-old who has spina bifida (脊柱裂),” says McLindon. “She spent most days on the couch watching TV. Soon after she got her bike, she was training for special-needs triathlons (铁人三项).In a magazine interview, she said, ‘I always knew there was an athlete in me.”
So far, the foundation has given away 450 bikes, and thafs just a start. “I do a lot of things. I run a lot of companies,” McLindon says. “But getting these kids their bikes is the most important thing that I do.”
21. Who is Andrew McLindon?
A. A caring businessman with strong social responsibility.
B. A keen cyclist who promoted the awareness of cycling.
C. The Family Foundation founder who made a big fortune.
D. A worker who helped to find the special-needs children.
22. Why is “headrest” mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A. To advertise the bike is comfortably crafted for children.
B. To prove the bike is suitable for special-needs triathlons.
C. To show the bike is designed for the special-needs children.
D. To claim the bike is beneficial to the recovery of balance issues.
23. How did the McLindon Family Foundation help the special-needs kids?
A. By getting them interested in triathlons.
B. By gifting an adaptive bike to them.
C. By curing them of balance disturbances.
D. By providing an access to the joy of cycling.
