Usually in school or in clubs, children are told not to horse around—horsing around means to act badly. But in south London, there is a club that loves it when students horse around.

The Ebony Horse Club is a riding school for children from poor families. General Manager Naomi Howgate runs the team that operates the school. With the help of volunteers, they give about 140 rides each week to children. They teach not only horseback riding but also important life skills.

The club recently reopened its stables(养马场). They were closed for months because of the COVID-19. The program’s eight horses have returned to their home after a long rest outside London in East Surrey. Across the road from housing for the poor, young people are again learning how to ride. They begin by learning how to get on the horse, or how to mount. Then, they learn how to walk, trot(小跑), and finally canter(使马慢跑) the horses. These are specialized terms for how a horse walks or runs.

One of the club’s youngest riders is Shaddai Mcleod. The 9-year-old was very excited to be back in the saddle. He rides after school. But he joins the team on Sundays to help in the yard. He said he is happy to take care of the horses: cleaning out the stables, grooming(刷洗) the horses, and measuring out their evening meals. Shaddai recently received his first award for grooming.

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1.Which fact can explain the meaning of horsing around?

A The students are going to school together.

B The students are walking around the school.

C The students are listening to teachers carefully.

D The students are shouting and playing crazily in class.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第一段Usually in school or in clubs, children are told not to horse around – horsing around means to act badly.可知，通常在学校或俱乐部里，孩子们被告知不要胡闹。故选D。

2.Who is the teacher in the Ebony Horse Club?

A Naomi Howgate.

B Club workers.

C The volunteers.

D The horse owners.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第二段With the help of volunteers, they give about 140 rides each week to children.可知，在志愿者的帮助下，他们每周为孩子们提供大约140次骑马服务。故选C。

3.What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A The club is always open to the public.

B The place to practice riding has changed.

C Young people looked after horses at home.

D The horse riding program stopped for some time.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第三段The club recently reopened its stables（养马场）. They were closed for months because of the COVID-19.可知，俱乐部最近重新开放了马场。他们因为新冠疫情关闭了好几个月。由此说明骑马项目停止了一段时间，故选D。

4.How many horse riding skills are mentioned in the passage?

A Four.

B Five.

C Six.

D Seven.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第三段They begin by learning how to get on the horse, or how to mount. Then, they learn how to walk, trot（小跑）, and finally canter（使马慢跑） the horses.可知，学员们主要学习如何上马、行走、小跑和慢跑等骑术，总共4项内容。故选A。

5.What can we know about Shaddai Mcleod?

A He often rides a horse to school.

B He is the youngest rider in the club.

C He got an award for his riding skills.

D He is ready to looking after the horses.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据最后一段He said he is happy to take care of the horses…可知，沙代·麦克劳德很乐于照顾马匹。故选D。