英文欣赏：建造自己的房子
编者按:
有人曾经说过：“生活就是一项DIY的工程”。你今天的态度与选择决定了你明天会住在什么样的“房子”里。因此，用你的智慧去建造你的”房子”吧！
Building your House
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire.
The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.
The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house… my gift to you.”
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it once more, we would do it much differently.
But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.”Your attitude and the choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely!
建造自己的房子
有个老木匠准备退休，他告诉老板，说要离开建造行业，回家与妻子儿女享受天伦之乐。虽然老板给他的工资很高，可是，他更想享受退休生活。生活总能维持下去。
老板很不舍得他的好工人离开，问他是否能帮忙再建一座房子。老木匠答应了。但是大家后来都看得出来，他的心已不在工作上，他使用的是次料，做工也很粗糙。这真是一种令人遗憾的结束自己全心全意所从事的事业的方式。
房子建好的时候，老板前来视察，然后把大门的钥匙递给他，说道：“这是你的房子……是我送给你的礼物。”
老木匠惊呆了！
真是丢脸啊！如果他早知道是在给自己建房子，他一定不会这么应付了事的。
我们又何尝不是这样。我们漫不经心地“建造”自己的生活，不是积极行动，而是消极应付，凡事不肯精益求精，在关键时刻不能尽最大努力。等我们惊觉自己的处境，早已深困在自己建造的“房子”里了。如果能够重新来过，我们一定不会这么做。
但是，你永远也无法回到过去。你就是那个木匠，在建造“生活”这所房子，每天敲进去一颗钉，加上去一块板，或者砌起一面墙。有人曾经说过：“生活就是一项DIY的工程”。你今天的态度与选择决定了你明天会住在什么样的“房子”里。因此，用你的智慧去建造你的”房子”吧！
1.shoddy n. 次品，劣质产品 adj. 劣质的
That salesman really took us for a ride, these goods are very shoddy.
那个推销员真的欺骗了我们，这些都是劣质商品。
2.inspect[in’spekt] vt. 调查，检阅 vi. 调查
It was strange that nobody inspected my ticket before I got on the train.
很奇怪，我上火车前，竟然没有人查看我的车票。
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