A
Shannan Hearne's oldest dream was to own a ranch(大牧场).From the moment she wasfirst placed in the horseback at age two,she had always felt most comfortable on it.In February2020,her dream finally came true,when she and her "partner-in-farm",Cory Conley,opened thegates of Sun and Moon Ranch.Then,just a month later,the country went in COVID-19lockdown.Soon Hearne's vision began to grow into something bigger.
With eight acres of grasslands and an abundance of sunshine and fresh air,there was nosafer way for frightened neighbors to get out of the house.The ranch,Hearne realized,should befor everybody-it would be a place the community could call home.
As the pandemic deepened,locals began to gather there,not just for the free barbecues,butfor the chance to put up a hammock(吊床)when they wanted some peace.Recreational vehiclesand campers were welcome to pull in for a quiet night after a day on the road."I have a visionfor the space being relaxing for whoever the universe sent our way-horses or people,"saysHearne.
One of those people,now 15,was born without fingers on one hand.His grandmotherbrought him to Sun and Moon for riding lessons.Learning to control a horse with one handhelped him better manage his disability.Plus,a special bond with two of Hearne's rescuedhorses,Annie and Honey,was a real leg up confidence-wise.“There is something empoweringabout controlling a thousand-pound animal,and I believe this is especially true for children oranyone who struggles with any sort of self-confidence issues,"Hearne says.
Another boy became selectively dumb after being bullied because of his autism(自闭症).Lesson by lesson,Hearne watched him slowly come out of his shell.Taking the reins(缰绳)helped him feel once again in control of the world around him.“He went from not answeringquestions to talking our ears off,"says Hearne.
21.In Hearme's vision,her ranch should be
A.a big commercial success
B.a healing place in hard times
C.a perfect site for riding lessons
D.an amusement park for children
22.In paragraph 4,how did the friendship with two horses influence the boy?
A.It improved his riding skills.
B.It helped boost his confidence.
C.It stirred up his love for animals.
D.It taught him to get along with others.
23.Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A.A Big Ranch
B.COVID-19 Survivors
C.Sharing the Sun and Moon
D.Coming out of the Shell
