An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to 1 the house-building business to live a more 2 life with his wife and 3 his extended family. He would miss the paycheck（工资）each week, but he wanted to retire. They could 4 .
The employer was 5 to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, 6 over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He used bad workmanship and 7 materials. It was an unfortunate way to 8 a dedicated（献身的）career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to 9 the house. Then he handed the front-door 10 to the carpenter and said, “This is your house... my 11 to you.”
The carpenter was shocked!
What a 12 ! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
13 it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting 14 than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we 15 we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.
But, you cannot 16 . You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or build a wall. Someone 17 said, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your 18 , and the choices you 19 today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build 20 !
1. A. continue B. start C. leave D. find
2. A. leisurely B. lonely C. orderly D. friendly 3. A support B. share C. enjoy D. care 4. A. go off B. get by C. pass on D. work away 5. A. polite B. nervous C. proud D. sorry
6. A. but B. while C. which D. before 7. A. perfect B. inferior C. superior D. tough 8. A. satisfy B. improve C. meet D. end
9. A. buy B. repair C. inspect D. sell 10. A. roof B. window C. key D. design 11. A. gift B. promise C. salary D. words
12. A. disappointment B. shame C. pleasure D. success 13. A. So B. Yet C. As D. Such 14. A. worse B. more C. rather D. less 15. A. realize B. explain C. think D. admit 16. A. step forward B. go back C. come out D. look around